


When Spring Rain turns to Summer Sky

by Rukazaya



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Constellations, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Orion belt and summer triangle!, Past Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexual Abuse, Triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-03
Updated: 2015-08-06
Packaged: 2017-12-13 21:43:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 30,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/829194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rukazaya/pseuds/Rukazaya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tsukishima x Hachimenroppi alt. ver. Shizuo x Izaya. Tsuki is one of the stars in the constellations who falls in love with Roppi. But Roppi was so abused in the past, he refuses to open his heart to anyone. Story of Star-crossed lovers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Title:** When Spring Rain turns to Summer Sky

**Rating: T ... for now?** (undecided if it'll be M... probably will turn into M)

**Pairing:**  Tsukishima Shizuo x Hachimenroppi Izaya (DVD cover art characters. My profile has pictures of them)

**Prompt from the Drrr Kink Meme:**  younger seme X older uke Since Tsuki!Shizuo came out later (DVD 13), I'd like him to be younger and shorter than Roppi!Izaya, but still be the seme. XD Anon would like the story to revolve around the pains of pursuing somebody who's older and wiser (Roppi!Izaya).

**Disclaimer:** I own none of these characters!

_THIS STORY CONTAINS MALExMALE RELATIONSHIPS. You have been warned._

* * *

Author's note: I tried to do my own research on the stars and constellations. I will be mixing a lot of constellations and myths together, so I apologize if there's an expert around here and I got something wrong... /;; Let's just pretend and enjoy? Thank you.

* * *

The Orion's Belt:  
ζ Ori (Alnitak)- Tsugaru  
ε Ori (Alnilam) - Tsuki  
δ Ori (Mintaka)- Delic

The Summer Triangle:  
Altaire – Psyche  
Vega – Roppi  
Deneb – Hibiya

Rarely did everyone gathered for the annual family festival. Stars from other end of the galaxy travelled far each year and even the branch family members were invited into the inner courts of the main house.

It was snowing on News Years Eve, the gates still opened as it bustled with guests pouring in from their long travels on the Milky Way. Comets stationed their carriages as their horses were watered and fed. Servants and maids welcomed each of them by the gate, their light footsteps the only blemish on the untouched snow covered lawn.

And it was then, the young heir, Tsukishima of the Orion family saw him.

While holding onto Delic's hand as he followed his brother to his wing, Tsuki looked to the side to see a beautiful person sitting by the circular Japanese window, the ricepaper sheets painted with dark calligraphy of fragile branches.

Their eyes met, Tsuki's red curious irises with this person's crimson orbs. For such a pale and frail face, there was fire in those eyes.

Quickly Tsuki looked away, his face blushing like a boy who was caught with his hands in the cookie jar. He quickly followed his brothers Delic and Tsugaru to his wing of the long wooden Japanese home of the main house. They had travelled far and he couldn't wait for his warm bath.

The next day was New Years. This year was the year of the rabbit. It was Psyche's turn for the festival dance as he got up to the stand in his ritual kimono, praying to the stars for another good year.

Tsuki watched, mesmerized as the swirls of pink and white flew across the sky with just the light touch of his fingertips, the long trails of the kimono glittering as it illuminated the sky, welcoming the new year.

He blinked when he realized that Altaire was followed by Deneb and Vega this year, the other two dancing in harmony, supporting prayers to the dance.

The flicker of crimson eyes caught Tsuki's own. A small smile graced the lips before he resumed his serious countenance.

The young Tsukishima blushed furiously again and looked around him to make sure no one had seen that. But it seemed the exchange was in secret as everyone's attention was centered around Psyche's good year prayer.

Tsuki had thought that this person was from the branch family as he had never seen such a beautiful person in his life. But if this person was one of the dancers, then he… or she… was from the main branch. And from the top main family.

Once the dance prayer had finished, everyone bowed, exchanging each other's new year greetings, wishing each other good luck. Tsuki let go of his brother's hand to search around for that face that drew him. But in the end, he could not find him at all.

The festival grew high as each took a partner and danced to the music with the pink and white aurora illuminating the winter night sky.

"Tsuki! Tsuki, ma man!" Linda came over, wrapping his arms casually around the shoulder of the youngest kid of the main family. "I haven't seen you since last year! Still short as ever!" Linda laughed happily. Usually he was the shortest star among the main family until Tsukishima came around.

"L-Linda-san. Good evening." Tsuki bowed awkwardly sideways over and over while clutching his elaborate kimono.

"No need. No need~" Linda waved his hand. "So, found some cute girls? I think we got some really hot chicks this year! We gotta check it out!"

"Ah... no thank you… My brothers will want me back in my room soon... I think..." his voice got smaller and smaller as he grew shyer at the thought of meeting girls he didn't know.

Then again, he was trying to chase down the mysterious beautiful person he just saw. He didn't even know what he wanted to say when they met.

"Man, you remind me of Gakuen so much, I'd think you were born into the wrong household." Linda laughed as he let him go, off to woe more women.

Tsuki thought of loitering around a bit more but decided it would be pointless. The person he was seeking wasn't here it seemed. And he would be lying to Linda if he didn't return.

The festival was still high inside the wing of the Azure Dragon quarters. More servants were running around with small tables carrying sake and mochi. As soon as Tsuki entered, Delic, who was more than half drunk, grabbed his youngest brother and rubbed their chins together.

"Tssssssuki-kuuuuun~ Where have you beeen~ chasing cute skirts?"

"N-n-n-n-no!" Tsuki shook his head hurriedly in his defense. Why did everyone think he was chasing someone? Well he was, but still!

"Why the hell not? We got some super hot cousins you know!"

Everyone laughed as they patted Tsuki on the shoulder, getting him to sit down. Sake was passed around freely, several servant girls were playing the shamisen, some were pouring sake for the men. There were two girls on each side of Delic giggling at his lame jokes.

Tsuki sighed as he sat down to eat some small cakes and mochi. This happened every year, though he had only been invited to the main house annual festival once he reached his puberty, which wasn't too long ago. But he was pretty sure he had met all the main family members.

How come he had never met that person?

Tsuki poked at his mochi, deep in thought when his eldest brother, Tsugaru came over and sat next to him.

"Something wrong?" his calm brother asked as he poured himself a sake, gently declining to be poured by one of the girls with a smile.

"Ah .. well..." Tsuki fidgeted a bit.

"Remember... the person who was dancing today?"

"Psyche? Yes. His dance was very beautiful this year. He must have worked hard. We can hope that the prayer will be well received this year too."

"Ah yeah…." Tsuki fidgeted some more. He had forgotten that the person he was staring at the entire dance wasn't the main one.

"What about him? Did you like his dance?"

"Ah I did... Well actually..." Tsuki blushed deeply as he decided to brave the question. "The person who was wearing the black and red kimono... I've never seen that person before. I didn't know…. if he or she was from the main branch…"

Tsugaru blinked. "You mean Hachimenroppi? Ah… true. I guess he wasn't present for your baptism ceremony." He drank his sake calmly and continued. "He's pretty sickly and often bed ridden. It was rare to see him as a supporting dance. He used to do it far more regularly. I'm guessing he's trying to practice recently since the Year of the Snake isn't too far away."

"Eeeeh~? What's this? Are you charmed by his beauty too? I thought better of you, little bro~ I didn't know you were into 'bad boys,' you little goody-two-shoe!"

Tsuki yelped in surprise when Delic, who was now totally wasted, crept from behind and noggled his little brother.

"Aaah! No! I was just…"

"I'd stay away from him if I were you. He lures his preys with his charismatic eyes, charming them into submission and then he devours… ow!"

It was Delic's turn to yelp as Tsugaru hit him on the head with the back of his fan.

"Stop teasing him. Roppi is none of the sort."

Delic pouted as he sat next to Tsuki and drank some more.

"No but I'm serious. The guy's a psycho! Like once I was pulling Ochibi-chan's legs, you know, saying his fashion sense is a little 'antique' and the little prissy boy was half in tears, trying to kick me down when _he_ came out of  _nowhere_ and…! Oww!" Delic's rambling was cut by another swat to his head with the fan.

"You probably deserved it." Tsugaru noted. Tsuki quietly agreed.

"But I'm telling you! The guy's nuts! He's like half cursed or something! Besides haven't you heard of his crazy tantrums and hysterias? Like that one time when the mailman came in to deliver a package and he literally screamed and threw things at him for stepping into his house!"

"Roppi had his reasons." Tsugaru said placidly, holding his argument down in a firm manner.

"It was just a package! A pack-age! He acted as if it was a bomb or something!"

"Like I said, Roppi has his reasons. Ever since the stalker incidence, he's been like that."

"Stalker?" Tsuki's ears perked up and he blurted out the question without realizing. He quickly covered his mouth but it was too late.

"Yeah, yeah. Everyone knows about the stalker incidence. I still think Roppi's a loony anyway." Delic shrugged it off. Tsugaru sighed.

"Roppi had a lover once. But when his lover was too aggressive, Roppi asked to have their relationship severed. His lover didn't take that too well. I heard that his lover went far as to tie him to his bed while he started to burn down the room."

Tsuki's eyes widened.

"He was rescued in time of course, but the stalking grew worse until the main house had to place the restraining order. However Roppi never quite recovered and grew reticent. He doesn't trust anyone anymore. Rather… he hates them."

"And he hates all of them." Delic added. "Don't care who. Don't care if we mean well~ he just hates all humans. Anti-social to the max. I think it's retarded! I mean come on. Get over it! So what if you got raped a few times or almost died a few times. Everyone goes through that. Just read the newspapers."

Tsugaru gave Delic a hard look. The rose-colored eyed man decided he said perhaps too much in his stupor and chuckled awkwardly.

"Anyways~ Roppi's bad news. It's a good thing you didn't know of him until now. The guy's cursed or something. He's always sickly and just looking at him makes me feel sick…"

"Delic…!" Tsugaru chastised his younger brother with a serious tone.

"Yes, yes. I shall not talk badly of my cousins, even if I'm a man who don't bear grudges but he made me break that vow and I can't stand loner bastards who think their life is the only one miserable, though all those creepy red-eyed cousins of ours from the House of Crimson Phoenix are like that… granted I guess I won't mind if Ochibi-chan kicks me around with his horse or something…"

"Delic!"

"Yes, yes, yes…" Delic scurried off to play with more girls.

Tsugaru sighed.

"Anyways, just don't think too hard about what Delic said." His eldest brother patted Tsuki on the head.

But already, Tsuki's mind was wandering to the person he was not supposed to think about.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Though he had only seen this man briefly, Tsuki thought about Roppi constantly. Now he understood why he had never seen him. He was always indoors due to his illness. Tsuki lived in a daydream. Several times he was caught staring into space, giggling at nothing. Sometimes he tripped over air while he daydreamed too, repeatedly remembering that face that captivated him. No matter how often his brothers told him he needed to focus on his duties, he couldn't wait for the next New Year festival.

He was curious which was Hachimenroppi's star but he was too shy to ask. And he didn't want Delic to tease him about it later either. So he watched the sky happily, feeling giddy as he felt close to Roppi, knowing that he was somewhere out there in the sky.

The year turned slowly and the New Year arrived once more. The Orion brothers travelled down the Milky Way to the main house for their annual celebration. After the Year of the Rabbit was the Year of the Dragon. At arrival, Tsuki looked around, hoping to pass Roppi once more but he received no such luck this time.

All too soon was the Prayer Festival. This year was Tengoku Gakuen's turn to dance as he prayed for another good year. His majestic swirls colored the sky green as the House of Genbu flanked around him, praying for longevity and good health.

At first Tsuki was searching for Roppi amongst the crowds but he was awestruck by the dance in the climax. He didn't even realize his mouth was hung open until Linda tapped him on the shoulder and whispered, "You better close your mouth before you drool, or better yet, swallow a fly."

Tsuki quickly closed it and wiped his mouth, wondering if he really was drooling. Linda giggled. "Amazing isn't it."

"Y-yeah…"

"Gakuen's like you a bit. A bit awkward, a bit shy, not knowing where his place is in the world, but once the spotlight shines on him, he's completely different. He truly is a perfect heir for the House of Genbu with thousands of stars under him. The Dragon Emperor."

Linda smirked as he looked up just in time to watch Gakuen finish his dance with the flawless pose. Everyone clapped and bowed.

Tsuki looked at Linda wondering why he looked kind of sad as he watched Gakuen surrounded by his house family.

"Is something wrong?" Tsuki asked finally. Linda turned and blinked at him in surprise.

"Wrong? Haha, of course not." Linda tapped him on the shoulder. "Let's go congratulate him!" he said as he dashed off, squirming his way through the crowds.

Tsuki tried to follow but he was stopped constantly by others around him, exchanging greetings of New Year. He kept stopping to bow to each and everyone, in the end he lost sight of Linda, the heir to the House of White Tiger.

However, trying to look above the crowd for Linda, his eyes widened as he spotted a familiar red fur coat that dragged in the snow before turning a corner behind the wall of the mansion.

Tsuki quickly said his last greeting before he dashed forward, chasing after the footsteps left behind on the snow.

When Tsuki came to the corner, he took a peek.

And sure enough. It was Hachimenroppi. He was leaning by the tree, his pale hand lightly supporting himself against the dark barks.

Tsuki watched as the man coughed. Inwardly he wondered if he should run to the kitchen and get some water. But it didn't sound like something a glass of water could fix.

After several coughs, Roppi took a sharp inhale of breath and let it out. A small whiff of breath formed a cotton-like cloud before it dissolved into mist. Small puffs of air still lingered near his mouth as the man quietly leaned his entire form against the tree.

Tsuki leaned forward more, taking in the beautiful scenery though he was very worried. Hachimenroppi was wearing his black kimono embroidered with crimson threads lined with gold as the glittering phoenix clung to his cloth. He wore a long black shawl lined in red fur that slipped down his shoulders. He also wore a long white scarf around his neck that flowed gently behind his back. Save for his pale face, hands and the scarf, the black outfit melded perfectly against the trunk of the tree, as if a golden phoenix with red feathers was resting his wings as he perched on the tree.

Though the scenery was breathtaking, Tsuki could not help but feel anxious and worried as Roppi leaned against the tree, his tired wings looking frail as he tried to rest enough so he could return to his room.

Tsuki thought of going out and asking if he needed help but then he remembered about the 'stalker incidence.'

Wasn't  _he_  being a bit… stalkerish now? What if he traumatized Roppi-san even more by coming out of the blue and offering help?

He squirmed a bit, trying to weigh the decision in his head when he heard something.

Tsuki looked up to see the snow that gathered up on the branch started to shift. His eyes widened as he saw the heavy branch crack and split little by little. He looked back and saw that Hachimenroppi had closed his eyes and did not seemed to notice the incoming 'danger.'

"Roppi-san!" Tsuki shouted out, as he dashed forward. Roppi opened his eyes, suddenly alert. He looked surprised at seeing Tsuki running towards him. He stiffened and froze in his place. Tsuki pointed upward to alert him but Roppi was staring at him instead of the snow and the large branch that was about to fall on his head.

"Look out!"

Tsuki pushed Roppi out of the way just in time as the large branch finally cracked. There was a small muted thud as the branch half the size of a grown adult fell along with a lot of snow. The tree shook and more snow fell to the floor, covering Tsuki's small form who had fallen on top of Roppi.

Roppi was silent as he looked up at the tree for a bit as he lay on the snow. Tsuki quickly recovered, getting up and flailing about when he realized he had knocked down Roppi whilst in a hurry to save him.

"Aah! R-Roppi-saaan! Are you okay? I'm so sorry! I'm so very sorry!" Tsuki scurried to his side and kept bowing until his glasses fell off from his face.

Roppi just stared at him in silence. His small snow-covered rescuer. The raven leaned forward and Tsuki stiffened. Would he get angry that he had knocked him down? That he was stalking him? That he knew his name?

Instead Roppi grabbed the small glasses that fell on the snow and held it out.

"T-t-t-t-t-thank you…" Tsuki mumbled as he took it and put it back on his face.

Roppi then started to pat Tsuki on his hair and shoulders as well as his back to get rid of the excess snow.

"You'll catch cold if you let the snow melt on your kimono."

Tsuki froze at hearing Roppi's voice for the first time. It was beautiful. Like melodies of silver bells.

"I-I-I…." Tsuki stammered a bit, not knowing what to say. Then as if Roppi's words were indeed the words of prophecy, Tsuki sneezed.

Roppi's lips turned at a corner in a small smile. He took off his own scarf and carefully wrapped it around Tsuki's neck.

Still stunned, Tsuki stared at the beautiful man before him in shock as those cold fingers lightly patted him on his cheek.

"Your brothers will skin me alive if I curse you with hypothermia. Do go take a warm bath when you get back."

Tsuki realized, of course. Roppi had seen him with Delic before.

As those graceful fingers left Tsuki's face, his heart warmed up at the touch yet squeezed itself tight in pain. Roppi was colder than him. Yet he had offered his scarf. The small boy felt tears welling up in his eyes in gratitude. He wanted to give back the scarf and say 'No Roppi-san, you need this more!' but yet his fingers betrayed him as he tightly clung to his gift.

All too soon, Roppi got up and turned to leave. Tsuki looked up, his heart racing as Roppi took two steps further from him.

"R-R-R-Roppi-san! I… I…" Tsuki blurted out, scared of losing him forever.

"I'm in love with you!"

Roppi paused, blinking in surprise. He turned back to see a very flushed young boy looking as if he had just said his deepest, darkest secret and wanted to crawl into a hole and die there in secret.

Tsuki froze in his place, almost peeing himself at his shameful act. He couldn't believe he actually blurted that out loud.

Could he die please? Right now? He wanted the thunder to strike him down even though the sky was clear. Never mind that his brothers would kill him if he died right now. He wanted to  _die_  of embarrassment  _right now_!

Tsuki stopped breathing as Roppi turned all the way and took two steps forward to stand in front of him, his black shawl with red fur dragging in the snow.

He flinched as that cold hand patted him on the head. A small laughter bubbled as Roppi softly spoke.

"Save that for when you're taller than me."

Tsuki's head hung low. He was mortified. It was true that he was the shortest among all. Which was expected since he was also the youngest. The top of his head only came up to Roppi's neckline.

Tears welled up immediately as his heart tightened in humiliation. Why did he blurt out loud in impulse only to be rejected so easily? Of course Roppi-san would think it was just a fleeting crush and perhaps, it was.

May be it really was a small insignificant crush that might be forgotten many years from now but to Tsuki it was real. For him, this present feeling he felt for Roppi was true and clear.

He loved him.

But Roppi had only thought of it as 'just a phase.'

Tsuki turned and ran, not looking back.

He didn't want Roppi to see him cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This scene is dedicated to Mego-chan who drew a 4 panel art that inspired this fic. (I got her permission before I used her quotes /;;; thank you.


	3. Chapter 3

That year, Tsuki drank a lot of milk. He drank milk for breakfast, brunch, lunch, between snacks, dinner and right before bed.

Tsugaru and Delic thought he was being bullied but Tsuki just told them he just wanted to grow taller.

Delic scoffed, "You'll be tall soon enough. You're one of us! It'll just take time. What, did Linda call you short again? Just call him short back, I mean he  _is_ the oldest among us and yet... ow!" as Tsugaru hit him with the back of his fan for talking about Linda behind his back.

Though Tsugaru soothed Tsuki and told him there was no need for hurry, Tsuki continued to drink milk every chance he got. He did stretches and exercises, trying to get his bones to grow.

Soon, Tsuki grew tall. Taller than even his two brothers who were already fairly tall. Though the youngest, now, Tsuki shined even brighter in the night sky.

Tsuki was proud of his achievements as he raised his head up high and lighted the sky while Delic grumbled about stupid 'growth spurts' and how Tsuki cheated. Delic was just the type to be a sore loser to a game that he wasn't even part of to begin with.

The next annual New Year festival came and Tsuki was thrilled. His glasses fogged up as he breathed in the cold winter air, unable to contain his excitement as he searched around for Roppi. He couldn't wait to tell him he loved him now that he was definitely taller.

However, the entire day, Tsuki could not find him. Then after hearing the servants, he realized of course he couldn't find Roppi.

This year was the Year of the Snake. He was getting ready for the festival.

Giddy, Tsuki waited patiently as possible, going over in his head how he wanted to confess his love.

Finally it was time for the festival. Tsuki stood as close as he could to the platform while he looked up amongst the crowds. His eyes widened as Roppi stepped up to the platform.

He was radiant and beautiful. Wearing the traditional kimono all in black with golden red phoenix embroidered, not unlike the kimono Tsuki first saw him in. This one however was much more elaborate and instead of the folded wings, the feathers spread out across the sleeves. Each time Roppi stretched his arms high in his dance, the wings looked as if he was flying across the sky. Aurora of red colored the sky for good tidings to come as Hachimenroppi's prayers were heard.

In the moment of final climax as Roppi soared across the sky, suddenly he froze in mid-pose. Clutching his chest he started coughing violently; his arms fell like broken wings.  
He collapsed to the floor, coughing up blood while his chest heaved in pain.

Tsuki stared in shock, his heart numb and his face drained of all colors as he watched Roppi fall.

The crowd gasped as Psyche and the servants from the House of Phoenix rushed to his side. Immediately Hibiya was there, already performing the purification prayer as the Year of the Horse was next. There was a lot of commotion and chaos as Roppi was carried away and the blood was cleaned.

There was no friendly exchange of greetings for a happy new year that night. Instead everyone bowed down for the purification prayer, each with a solemn face.

Tsuki couldn't help but worry. He felt angry at how everyone seemed to care more about the failed ritual than the health of Hachimenroppi. He even heard bitter words being whispered, spreading across the members of the Houses.

"Bad omen."

"Ill luck."

"This year is no good."

"If only Hachimenroppi would declare an heir and step down... this wouldn't have happened."

They were murmurs of discontent and anger, blaming everything on Roppi.

Tsuki's hands tightened into fists but he held his anger in check. Instead he prayed for Roppi to be alright, that he would grow to be healthier, and live a prosperous life.

* * *

The whole main house was hushed with tensed silence. Even on the way back home, no one spoke. Tsuki wanted to ask if Roppi was alright but the intense atmosphere stopped him from doing so. Even Delic wasn't his usual cheerful self as he lay low, just sometimes grumbling about the bumpy ride.

If it weren't for the calm and collected Tsugaru, Tsuki would have been more worried sick. But Tsugaru held his hand the entire ride, the strange calming effect filtering through that warm hand. Though Tsugaru did not know what was making Tsuki anxious, he had thought that perhaps it was due to the talk about the bad omen. Regardless, Tsugaru's cool appearance helped Tsuki to calm his own nerves.

But Tsuki grew restless as he grew further and further away from the Main house and further away from Roppi.

"Will... Roppi-san... be okay?" Tsuki finally spoke.

Tsugaru sighed at the question no one wanted to speak out. Of course it would be someone like Tsuki, young and still too innocent who would bring up the unmentionable.

"We... don't know."

"Can... I go visit him."

Tsugaru was stunned into silence as he looked back at his younger brother. In the carriage, Delic, who was laying across, taking up the entire couch to himself, sat up in surprise.

"Tsuki. You have your duties to light up the sky." Tsugaru reminded him sternly.

"But... just for few days. I want to see him. Will he be alright? Do you think he'll be able to return to work?"

Tsugaru spoke gently. "We can hope that in few months, Roppi-san would regain his health to light up the sky in time."

Tsuki nodded dumbly. He stayed silent briefly, but then he had to ask again.

"Is it... really impossible for me to go see him?"

"Tsuki. You have your duties."

"Then... where is he located in the sky? So at least I can see him at night?"

Tsugaru's voice grew soft, being very careful of what he would say next.

"Tsuki... Roppi is Vega. He's part of the Summer Triangle. Right now it's January. As the name speaks, the Summer Triangle is only visible during the summer... starting from around April and May until November. They... are on the completely opposite sky from us."

Tsuki felt his heart lurch, feeling it freefall from his chest. His mind swam when he heard Tsugaru's words. He was Orion. And during the summer, specifically from May until July, Orion was in the sky during the day time. Orion's main night sky time was between November until February.

"So... the earliest I could see Roppi-san in the sky... would be... August?"

"If you're lucky. " Delic scoffed.

"Probably we'll only be on the horizon. By the time we're finally in the night sky, the creepy trio is usually on the brink of the horizon, going to bed so..." Delic shrugged. "Good riddance to them, really."

Tsugaru glared at Delic into silence, as he shifted awkwardly and laid back down.

"W-wait. H-how about April? By April, my duties would be light and so will his! C-can I go visit him then?" He felt as if he was grasping straws while drowning under water.

Tsugaru and Delic exchanged a silent glance and then stared back at their youngest brother.

"Tsuki... did you forget about the April Lyrid?"

"Ah..." Tsuki's hope was crushed as his eyes slightly watered.

April lyrids were the yearly meteor shower that fell from the sky constantly. It was one of the few times the great stars were able to rest from illuminating the sky, their own 'Golden Week of Rest', as the skies were clouded with millions and billions of stars.

"It would be... impossible to travel in that condition, Tsuki." Tsugaru told him. The final ultimatum sealed Tsuki's fate as he realized he would never be able to see Roppi until New Years. And the only time he would see Roppi in the sky was possibly in September or October if only briefly. He would have to run up as fast as he could just to catch him slowly fall down the other side of the horizon.

Tsuki remained quiet the rest of the way home.

* * *

Few months passed by, Tsuki grew more and more worried. Then one day Tsugaru received a letter from the main house.

Tsugaru opened it as Delic and Tsuki gathered around him.

"It looks like Hachimenroppi has named his successor."

Tsuki's heart fell, as if he was hearing his own death sentence.

"Who is it?" Delic yawned as he asked languidly.

"One of the younger men from the House of Phoenix of course. Here's his picture."

It was a dark short haired man with glasses and white jacket.

"So he'll be taking Hachimenroppi's place when he croaks?" Delic asked with small interest.

"Delic..." Tsugaru said with a warning tone.

"Yes, yes, yes. I know already~"

"Wait, so... did the letter say how … Hachimenroppi-san is?" Tsuki asked, his eyes still bewildered. He didn't want to believe his ears.

"No, but he must be in pretty dire condition if the Main House finally forced him to name his successor. Granted naming doesn't mean the succession will take place immediately but..."

"Then Roppi-san is dying?" Tsuki cut him off in mid-sentence. Tsugaru blinked, a bit stunned. Normally Tsuki was very well mannered child.

"I presume so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I know a lot of this might make no sense lol... please just pretend it's a folklore story. April lyrids do exist though. And Summer Triangle is usually visible starting from Spring and until Summer. Orion is visible from November until February. (though it may vary depending on which hemisphere you're in)


	4. Chapter 4

Tsuki felt his world closing in on him. Throbbing headache, pounding heartache, the universe tilted and spun in its axis.

"Tsuki? Tsuki!"

Delic was quick to catch him before Tsuki toppled to the floor.

"Hey Tsuki! Are you alright?"

Tsuki shook his head. His mind felt numb, as if all thought process fled except for one thing.

He needed to tell Roppi his final message.

Tsuki got up and ran to his room. His brothers stood in silence, half confused as Tsuki came back wearing the white long scarf around his neck and a messenger bag around his shoulder.

"I'm gonna go see him." Tsuki said with finality.

"Whoa, whoa! Wait a sec, bro! Where do you think you're going! The meteor shower's about to start! You'll be burned alive out there!" Delic grabbed his youngest brother and held him back.

"Let me go!"

"Tsukishima. Did you forget about your duties? Also the Year of the Sheep is approaching soon. It'll be your first dance. You need to practice." Tsugaru said sternly.

"No! I didn't forget! I promise I'll be back in time!" Tsuki yelled and his brothers flinched. They had never heard Tsuki raise his voice before.

"Just why do you have to go see him so badly?" Tsugaru frowned wondering if Tsuki was entering a rebellious stage, one Delic never grew out of. Tsugaru was not looking forward to having two troublesome younger brothers to babysit.

"Because! I love him! And I want him to know!" Tsuki shouted back in fervor.

Tsugaru blinked. And Delic blinked as well, too surprised to say much or even hold him back anymore. Tsuki shook off his brother's grasp and glared up at Tsugaru challengingly.

Delic stood up and he went over, grabbing Tsugaru before he could react. Holding his oldest brother under his arms, Delic restrained him. Tsugaru gasped in surprise as Tsuki's eyes widened at seeing Delic's move.

"Go bro! I support your move! I'll hold back Tsugaru for ya! Go tell that stone hearted bastard he needs to melt a little!" Delic struggled as he gave Tsuki a thumbs-up.

"D-Delic..." Tsuki's eyes watered in gratitude as he dashed out, the stars glittering as they praised Delic's sacrifice for the greater cause.

"Oh, no you don't!" Tsugaru grabbed the bag, pulling Tsuki in as the fan of justice smacked down on Delic. Then Tsugaru crashed both of their heads together in a headbutt.

Tsuki and Delic rolled on the floor comically as Tsugaru huffed.

"Really, you two; do you think I'm that heartless?" He sighed, folding his arms together as he watched his two brothers wince in pain.

"First you need a map and a compass." Tsugaru said as he walked over to the small drawer near him and pulled out the tools.

"Y-you'll let me go?" Tsuki smiled widely in happiness. Even Delic looked surprised at Tsugaru's change of heart.

"Yes. Here. Now then, all you have to do is follow the Milky Way up north. And you place the compass like so to find north. The Milky Way goes through between Vega and Altaire. It should be easy to find..." Tsugaru hesitated, doubtful of Tsuki's abilities. He was very well known for being directionally challenged.

"Remember to ask directions if you get lost," Tsugaru added. Tsuki nodded.

"And remember to look both ways before you cross," Delic added too. Tsuki nodded.

"Remember to double check the map." Tsugaru added to that. Tsuki looked at his older brother and nodded.

"And triple check the compass," Delic added to him. Tsuki turned his head to nod to his second oldest brother.

"And remember that the 'red' means north." Tsuki turned his head to nod.

"Don't go south." Tsuki turned his head the other way to nod back.

"Just follow the Milky Way."

"Just follow the signs."

"Remember to ask directions if you're lost."

"Remember to ask directions even when you think you aren't lost."

"Remember that  _that's_ the Milky Way."

"Don't go-"

"Okay, okay! I got it!" Tsuki shook his head as he felt dizzy from all the nodding.

"Alright... Off you go. Don't get burned now," Tsugaru sighed as he let him go.

Tsuki nodded as he dashed off.

"TSUKISHIMA!"

He looked back to wave at his brothers, but they were pointing the other way.

"The Northern Milky Way is  _that way!_ "

Oh.

Feeling 'sheepish', Tsuki blushed as he ran back toward his house and ran the way his brothers pointed him to.

Tsugaru and Delic sighed.

"Why didn't you tell him about the 'unspoken rule'?" Tsugaru asked Delic as he watched Tsuki's scarf trail behind him, fading into the black universe that stretched before him.

"Maybe he'll be able to break it. It's a stupid rule anyway..." Delic shrugged.

"You just want him to do all the hard work for you." Tsugaru scowled.

"Same goes for you. You don't want to be the one to break it either to be with Psyche." Delic shrugged again. Tsugaru coughed to hide his embarrassment.

"I think you're doing this more for your entertainment rather than trying to get together with Hibiya."

"Too true." Delic grinned as he looked back at the road. Now Tsuki was swallowed up in the darkness.

"Maybe we should have gotten him a seeing-eye dog too." Tsugaru frowned.

Delic chuckled as the universe twinkled in agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> From the previous chapter: "It was a dark short haired man with glasses and white jacket." - to those who don't know, another Izaya official art character from DVD 8, Izaya sense. (Please check my profile on the details)
> 
> i forgot to mention that Delic is monkey and Tsugaru is tiger. Both are intelligent and cunning enough to know about the 'unspoken rule' even though it's 'never spoken.' kind of like just knowing it through experience.
> 
> Tsuki, being sheep, is a bit dense and also inexperienced so he doesn't catch things easily. So even if Delic is rebellious type, he isn't going to go against the main house because it's too much hassle. He'd rather let his younger bro take the clumsy first step and watch if he sinks or swim lol~


	5. Chapter 5

Tsuki traveled far and wide. The problem with Milky Way was that it's not a straight path but it was a spiral. He stopped every now and then to ask for directions. With the help of Cancer and Virgo, he managed to prevent himself from going the opposite direction. But he ran away from Leo and Sagittarius as they roared at his incompetence in listening properly.

When he finally managed to arrive at the moon station, he took a break and ate some rice cakes from the gracious rabbits.

Being directionally challenged while traveling in the galaxy was tough.

Tsuki always felt like he was following the wrong side of the Yellow Brick Road. (Except you can't really get lost following the Yellow Brick Road, so perhaps he was more like Alice lost and wandering around without much guidance.)

Regardless, Tsuki did not give up. He needed to get to Roppi's house before the April showers began.

Roppi coughed into his hand as he sat in his bed. He opened his palm to check.

Good. No blood.

He wasn't sure if he sighed in relief or if he sighed because he was just tired of everything and wanted it all to end.

He leaned against the side of the wall, cooling his warm forehead.

"Roppi-chaaaan~ Here's your dinneeeer~~"

Psyche kicked the door open and hopped in, spilling some of the purple contents on the floor. Roppi grimaced.

"... It looks like more poison to me..." Roppi mumbled.

"How rude! This time, I even tasted it! It's fine!" If Psyche could use both hands, he would have had them on his hip and thrust to one side. But since he couldn't, he hopped over to Roppi's bed with glee.

"Though, I can't wait until you do die~ Then I get to be the oldest! Yay~ I'll remember to celebrate by decorating your grave with pink flowers every day, Roppi-chan~"

Roppi rolled his eyes at Psyche's usual display of 'yandere.' Roppi didn't even know what Tsugaru saw in his younger brother.

Maybe Tsugaru was 'M' too. (masochist)

"If it's not poison then it's probably too sweet," Roppi mumbled some more. "And why is it purple?" Roppi scowled.

The purplesoup bubbled. Roppi thought he saw a tentacle slither in it, still half alive and half drowning.

"Don't be like that! Now have some. Say aaah~~" Psyche spooned some of the liquid and held it up against his older brother's mouth.

"..."

Roppi didn't like the smell of 'soup' either. Besides, the tentacle… limb thing…. did twitch on top of the spoon.

"I'm not hungry," He sighed.

"If you be like that, you'll never gain enough strength," Psyche pouted. "Besides, all the food you cook is too spicy."

Roppi shrugged. "Better than too sweet or too salty." Meaning Psyche's and Hibiya's cooking.

"Well, I'll leave this here… When it cools down, try to have some."

'You mean, when that thing is finally dead,' Roppi thought to himself.

Psyche placed the purplish poisonous looking soup on top of the nightstand.

"Good night, Roppi-chan. Do let the bed bugs bite~."

With that, Psyche turned off the lights and closed the door. Roppi sighed.

How was he supposed to eat the soup in the dark later?

Roppi shrugged off Psyche's contradicting actions and words, considering it was the norm. Instead of staring at the black scorched walls and burned up furniture around him, he looked out the window to see the sea of stars shining brightly.

"Me? As a star? What irony." His gloomy thoughts started to creep into his mind once more as the dark corners of his room grew. The shadows spread and gnawed at the back of his mind.

  
_What if he’s still stalking you?  
_

 

  
_What if he’s under your bed?_

 

  
_What if he’s still staring at you from the ceiling?_

 

  
_He’s in here._

  
_He’s in here._

 

  
_He’s in here._

  
_He’s inside this room._

  
_That corner in the room, where you aren’t looking…_

 

  
_He’s there._

  


 

_He’s there..._

 

  
_You... a star?_

 

  
_Hilarious._

  
  
_Most unfunny joke in the universe._

 

  
_How can a dark, gloomy person like you ever shine?_

  
  
_That’s why you can’t_

 

  
_You can’t get away from him._

 

  
_He’s your shadow._

  
_You can never escape him._   


 

_He’s always behind you._

 

  
_Always._

 

  
_Behind you._

  
  
_Deep in the dark corners of your mind._   
  
_You can’t get away._   


 

_You can’t run away._

 

  
_Just embrace it._

  
  
_Just take him back._

 

  
_Death is immediate._

 

  
_It’ll be painless._

 

  
_You won’t feel pain anymore._

  
  
_Deep inside, you want to die too, don’t you?_

 

_  
Don’t you want to die with him?_

 

**  
NO!**

Roppi gasped, his chest heaving as he suddenly took a large intake of breath, not realizing he wasn't breathing at all for a few minutes as the shadows grew darker and the whispers grew louder and the insanities inside his brain throbbed and throbbed.

"Not yet... not yet..." Roppi struggled to breathe as his chest continued to tighten and his heart fought back the assaulting pain.

He clung to his life, unsure why, but he did. There wasn't much reason for him to live, but...

... no, he won't think about that.

And he mustn't think about it either.

Because then he wouldn't be able to think up of any reason to live anymore.

Though Psyche may bluntly tell him happily that he should die, and though Hibiya would just pretend Roppi didn't even exist in his presence, both of them knew enough now to take away any sharp objects near their oldest brother.

So he lay there, trapped in the shell of a body, shackled down to live only to continue his duty and chores until he fell apart completely.

But he had named his successor now.

Surely... they no longer needed him.

His wrists ached.

He rubbed the healing wounds that itched.

"I'm not... really fit to be one of you," Roppi whispered as he looked up at the sky, glittering bright.

Seeing those bright stars made Roppi think of something.

"Roppi-san... I'm in love with you!"

"Why did I remember him all of a sudden?" Roppi wondered. It made no sense. He only saw him twice. But time to time, Roppi's thought would drift and sought his face. When the darkness was overwhelming, and when he needed a way out, the only guiding light was Tsukishima's presence. The way that kid blushed, stammered, and yelled out his confession….

It was kind of cute.

Roppi never had heard someone say those words with such… sincerity.

The only types of love he was used to were abusive ones.

It felt weird to receive such an innocent love confession, but Roppi didn't dislike it.

In fact... he felt very attracted to it.

"I wonder how he's doing..." Roppi's thoughts drifted again.

Roppi remembered the boy's blushing face and how he wanted to save him so badly from the falling tree branch and the snow.

Something tickled Roppi's heart.

But all too soon, Roppi let out a deep sigh.

"Silly… why am I even thinking about him?"

It was useless to think and dream of things that would never happen anyway. Hope only brought despair to Roppi as he sat in his destroyed room, unwilling to move on, frozen in time.

The world Tsuki lived in was opposite. Different from his.

"He's too... bright for me," Roppi closed his eyes as he murmured, blinded by the light.

It was better to close his heart before he got hurt more from the dazzling fire of that pure soul.

It was better for Roppi if he rot before he tainted him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note:
> 
> People have been asking me to post the picture of "Izaya-sensei," the one who Hachimenroppi selected as his heir in this story. So I added the link in my profile.
> 
> To answer the anon's question about why Roppi is the oldest, that's because Roppi's design came out before Psyche.  
> Linda's the oldest of them all because Kida's theme song came out first with the first dvd? Then Hachimenroppi's design 2nd because it was the DVD 2nd cover.  
> Psyche was the OST1 Psychedelic Dreamer cover, which came with the DVD 4, which makes him younger than Roppi.
> 
> You guys are welcomed to correct me if I'm wrong (or if I need to add more :3 )


	6. Chapter 6

After circling the moon station twice by going the wrong way, Tsuki finally arrived at the northern hemisphere. He panted as he caught his breath from running the entire way. The stars were falling as the April lyrids approached. He needed to act fast.

"Halt."

Tsuki looked up to see a young woman with a short straight hair cut and glasses. Her eyes were deep red just like his.

"Toki… san?" Tsuki asked, recognizing her as one of the Main House stars.

"You can no longer follow the Milky Way. The meteor showers have started. It's too dangerous to cross the path from here on."

The blond paused. Silently, he looked at the Milky Way as it overflowed with stars. Clearly it would be dangerous… it was his fault that he kept getting lost despite the fact that everyone was kind enough to give him directions. His shoulders drooped.

But he couldn't give up.

With determined eyes, he spoke to the girl, "Toki-san, I really must cross."

"You may not." She said firmly without budging.

"I insist."

"It's too dangerous. Please go back. In fact, you might have to stay over at my house until the April Lyrids are over."

"Toki-san, please understand! I must visit Roppi-san."

"Roppi-san?" She tilted her head in confusion.

"Erm… Hachimenroppi-san…" Tsuki said the whole name, embarrassed that he had already shortened his elder's name in such a friendly manner though they barely knew each other.

"No, I know you are speaking of him. But why?"

"Eh?"

"Why are you trying to visit Hachimenroppi-san?"

"Why? Because…." Tsuki's face blushed bright red at the thought.

"I erm… I heard he's… dying." Tsuki avoided the question. That was one reason but there was another.

"So?"

"Eh?" Tsuki blinked.

"Why are you visiting him just because he's dying?"

"Why wouldn't you visit him? He's dying!" Tsuki looked surprised.

Toki tilted her head the other way, confused.

"Millions of stars die every day. Do you visit all of them?"

"Ah well… erm…" Tsuki stammered. That was true but…

"Do you feel sad for every single star that dies, that you need to visit every single one of them separately? Despite the dangers?"

"N-no, well. It is sad that stars are dying but… erm…" Tsuki tried to answer but Toki continued in her flat tone.

"Aren't you being a hypocrite for feeling sad for one star but not everyone as a whole? What's so special about Hachimenroppi-san?"

Tsuki looked at Toki and then at the falling stars.

So many stars die every day.

Should he feel sad for every single dying star?

Should he feel bad that he didn't feel sad about every single dying star.

If one truly felt the sadness of the universe, one probably couldn't live anymore, overwhelmed by such emotion.

Tsuki sighed.

"I'm sorry. I guess I am a hypocrite. But even so, I really must visit Roppi-san. I… I have a message to tell him."

"I'll send him the message. You can always mail it you know."

"No! I must tell it to him in person!" Tsuki said stubbornly.

"Why?"

"B-b-b-because I am in love with him!" Tsuki blurted out in frustration. Then he realized what he said. His face flushed like a lobster and he wanted to crawl into a hole again.

Toki stared at him, her eyes showing indication of genuine surprise.

"Oh. I see. That is something one should probably say in person." She admitted.

Tsuki sighed, partially in relief. He wondered if she'd let him go.

"Fine. You may proceed." Toki nodded. "I understand."

"You do?" Tsuki brightened up.

"Yes. Love is special isn't it. I shall grant you a special permission, though this violates the gatekeeper law."

Tsuki swallowed. He was doing something illegal for the first time. Instead of feeling guilty, he felt… excited.

"Here." Toki gave a small red ticket to Tsuki. He raised his hand to take it.

"No. Bite it."

"Bite it?"

Tsuki leaned forward and bit the ticket with his teeth. Toki let it go.

"Now, the entire way you must not talk. Not a single word. You must not lose this ticket. My birds from the House of Phoenix will assist you fly across the Milky Way. But as soon as you talk, the birds will dissipate and you will fall into the abyss."

Tsuki gulped, partially scared but still determined to follow through with the plan. He watched as Toki whistled. Hundreds, thousands and million birds of all sizes and breeds flocked over. They gathered, crowding the sky dark.

Tsuki thought it was strange how instead of hearing the birds sing in chirps, he thought he heard them sing, " 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛¸ 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛, 愛"

With the guidance of Toki's hand, the birds organized themselves, making a bridge with their body as they flapped their wings.

Once done, Toki turned to face the tall lanky blond. For the first time, she smiled gently. "Be careful young traveler. May your hopes, dreams and love be granted."

Tsuki nodded to say 'thank you.'

"Now then.  _Go_."

Tsuki at first hesitated, worried about stepping on the birds. But after just a few seconds, he flung himself and took off, running down the multicolored bridge.

Toki watched through the gates as the blond disappeared, his long white scarf trailing behind him.

"Heed my words, Tsukishima. You'll need more than courage to help Hachimenroppi-san." Toki whispered as she closed the gates.

Tsuki on the other hand, wished he could at least apologize to the birds as he stepped on them. He ran as fast as possible, hoping that the birds won't have to hold his weight for too long.

The Milky Way was brimming with stars, flooding the road. The birds ascended each time the stars overflowed. A few times Tsuki slipped on a star. He quickly regained his balance with his hands, his teeth clenching tightly on the ticket so he does not yell out in surprise.

Keeping silent was harder than it looked as the Meteor Shower poured down harder and harder. A few stars grazed his cheeks, arms and legs. It burned slightly and it took all of Tsuki's will power not to yell out even a tiny, "oww."

There was a rumbling of thunder and Tsuki looked up to see the dark clouds gathering above him. It was pitch black and angry. Lightening fell from the sky, so close that it temporarily blinded Tsuki. The stars poured down even heavier, making it impossible to see further than the outstretched hand. Tsuki held onto his white scarf, covering his mouth with it so he does not shout, no matter what and continued down the road of birds.

Suddenly a lighting bolt struck in front of Tsuki, forcing him to stop abruptly. He almost yelped in surprise as the lighting bolt ripped through the bridge and several birds scattered in front of him. Tsuki's heart panicked, wondering if those birds had died for his sake. He felt guilty, his chest aching as another row of birds replaced the fallen.

'I mustn't take too long.'

Now not just for the sake of Roppi, but also the birds who were helping him, Tsuki was determined to finish this journey as quickly as possible.

Determined, Tsuki leaped forward.

* * *

"Roppi-chan~~~" Psyche smiled as he popped in. He turned on the lights, blinding Roppi briefly.

"It's pouring outside~ you shouldn't be looking out." Psyche closed the window shut. Roppi sat still in his bed.

"I see you didn't eat again today." Psyche pouted at the soup with the dead tentacle poking out. But he quickly brightened up. "But if you keep not eating, you'll die soon!"

Roppi rolled his eyes in silence.

"So, so! I went to look at the grave stones today! Which one would you like? I think this one looks a bit better, but it's soooo gaudy. What ya think?" Psyche spread out the book of gravestones on top of Roppi's desk.

"Do what you like." Roppi said as he looked away. He frowned at the closed window. Now he really had nothing to look at.

"Really? Alright! Then I'll use this pink gravestone! And I even wrote you an eulogy! Wanna listen? Pretty please?" Psyche took out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.

"No." Roppi sighed.

"So it starts like this. Dear Roppi-chan!" Psyche started reading out loud, not caring that Roppi wasn't listening. "Or shall I call you Roppichin? Anyways, I'm so glad you're dead. Now  _I_ can be the head of the family! I've been waiting several light years for this moment, I'm so moved to tears!"

As Psyche continued to read, Roppi got up and pushed his younger brother out of his room. Then he slammed the door even as Psyche continued to read out loud, "let me list the ways I'm so glad you're dead," to him.

He sighed, tired. He looked at his silent room save for the muffled mumbling of his brother right outside the door.

The whispering hasn't stopped.

He looked down at the black spot in the middle of the room and the trails of the burn that reached to the walls and ceiling.

Taking a deep breath, he carefully walked around the spot and then back to his bed. He pulled up the sheets and curled to the corner, far away from his own room as much as possible.

The room was now completely dark with the door and the window shut.

Roppi closed his eyes as the darkness settled in.

* * *

Tsuki had come to the eye of the storm. He felt a bit relieved once he came to the calm belt. There were less stars falling. He could hear the distant thunder and few flashes of lightning from afar.

Though relieved, Tsuki continued to focus on the road as he trudged down the multicolored bridge. The wind was calmer but soon he started to hear whispers.

_"What if you're going the wrong way?"_  a star whispered as it brushed Tsuki's ear and fell into the abyss below.

Tsuki almost faltered. W-w-what if he was going the wrong way?

_"Shouldn't you ask for directions?"_  Another star asked as it whisked away, falling to the other side of Tsuki.

Should he?

No, Toki-san had said that the birds would lead him, and so far that birds only showed him one path... it would be impossible even for him to get lost...

Unless the birds were...

No, he needed to trust the birds.

_"You know, you're going the wrong way."_  Another star whispered as it fell.

_"Wrong way."_

_"Wrong way."_

_"How can you trust these birds?"_

_"What would they know?"_

_"You should ask for directions."_

_"You're going the wrong way."_

_"You'll never make it."_

Tsuki gritted his teeth and covered his ears. He mustn't listen. He had to believe in Toki-san.

He finally headed forward and out of the eye of the storm. Immediately, the storm raged, the stars pouring like walls of water. And worse, the whisperings were louder.

_"You're never going to make it."_

_"What you're doing is suicide."_

_"Wrong way."_

_"You think those birds will help you?"_

_"You can't even help yourself."_

_"Do you think Hachimenroppi will greet you?"_

_"Bet he won't even recognize you."_

_"What makes you think you're so special?"_

_You should ask for directions."_

_"Hahahaha..."_

_"Bet he would slam the door in your face."_

_"Stalker."_

_"Stalker."_

_"Stalker."_

_"Why don't you answer us?"_

_"Are you afraid we're right?"_

_"Coward."_

_"Dumbass."_

_"You're still going the wrong way you know."_

With the wind, rain and whispering all around him, it was hard for Tsuki to focus. A star fell right under his foot, causing Tsuki to slip. Now the back of the birds and their wings being so slippery, Tsuki fell from the bridge, holding onto the back of one of the larger bird as he dangled dangerously.

_"Pathetic."_

_"Hahaha..."_

_"You deserve it."_

_"I bet when you get back up, you won't know which way to turn."_

_"Think you can make it?"_

Tsuki was tempted to tell them, 'Shut up!' but he didn't. He was glad he didn't scream when he fell. However, biting his mouth had caused him to bite his lips and it bled a bit.

He quickly got up and looked around. He wasn't quite sure... but the birds had cut off the bridge on one side, which made Tsuki think that that was 'back.' So he pressed on forward, ignoring more mocking and ostracizing voices.

Finally the road ended, with the birds flapping, pointing to the right. Tsuki nodded and he dashed, jumping off the bridge and across the abyss, passing the walls of falling stars as he safely landed to the other side with a slam.

He rolled until he came to a pause. He looked up weakly and smiled as the birds started to scatter. He got up quickly, despite his sore muscles, and took the red ticket from his mouth to shout out at the top of his lungs, "THANK YOU! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

The birds fluttered, circling around Tsuki once before they all headed back to the Gate of Phoenix.

Tsuki waved at them and watched until all the birds had gone out of his sight before he turned to face the large house before him. It was black and towered over him menacingly.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

The door creaked like a door to a haunted house, making Tsuki even more nervous.

A small boy opened the door, wearing a golden paper crown and golden cape. He frowned at Tsuki's tattered state and sighed. Then he glared up at Tsuki.

"Go tell your pink-eyed brother of yours that I have  _not_  lost the game and next time I see him, I'll make  _sure_ to strip him down to his indecent undergarments and have him run around the Main House on all fours until..."

"W-w-w-wait, wait, wait sir! Erm, uhh.. Hibiya-san..." Tsuki's mind was dizzy with questions he wasn't sure if he should ask.

"That's Hibiya-sama to you."

"Erm... H-Hibiya-sama. I think you got the wrong idea. I'm not here to deliver message to erm... Delic-nii?"

"Oh." Hibiya blinked. Then he frowned again. "Then what are you here for peasant?"

P-p-p-peasant?

Tsuki decided to ignore that and coughed, scratching the back of his head, blushing.

"I-I-I... I came to see... Hachimenroppi-san... I heard he's unwell and... well..."

"I see." Hibiya stared at Tsuki for a moment, studying him. Then he grinned as he stuck out his foot.

"Lick my boots."

Now it was Tsuki's turn to blink in surprise.

"E-excuse me?"

Hibiya sighed in a bored tone. "I said lick my boots. Then I'll let you in. It's customary for this household."

Tsuki gaped and stared down at those brown boots. Was it really?

 


	7. Chapter 7

Hibiya crossed his arms and waited.

"Well peasant? Are you going to lick it or not?"

Tsuki hesitated but he slowly bent his back and…

"Oh, we have a guest?"

Tsuki looked up from his half-bow to see another young man with a white jacket and pink headset with matching pink eyes.

"Ah… Psyche-san. Good afternoon." Tsuki straightened up and stiffly bowed in 90 degrees angle.

"Tsuki-chan? Why are you here?" Psyche tilted his head.

"Ah… well... I came to see how… Hachimenroppi-san was doing..." Tsuki scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"And… Hibiya-san... I mean, Hibiya-sama said it was customary to lick boots before entering..." Tsuki then added a nervous laughter. "Surely that's not true right, Psyche-san?"

"Oh you silly, of course not!" Psyche laughed. Hibiya huffed as he continued to cross his arms and pout.

"Ah, I expected so! I was sure that it was a mistake..."

But Psyche cut him off with a smile. "No, you got it all wrong! You need to leave your body at the door!"

"Eh?" Tsuki blinked, hunching slightly in confusion.

Psyche showed his hidden hand which held a large cleaver with questionable red liquid dripping down its end.

"Your body! We can't have your filth come inside! If you need to speak with Roppi-chan, we'll just have to cut off your head and deliver it to Roppichin!" With a delightful smile, Psyche stepped forward, with the gleaming cleaver in hand.

"W-w-w-w-wait, wait! Erm...! I... I think there's a mistake here!" Tsuki shouted as he stepped back, his hands out stretched in fear.

"Awww don't worry, it won't hurt… much. Though I'm not quite sure how we can attach it later, but I'm sure Tsu-chan's good with sewing things up yes?" Psyche giggled as he stepped closer.

"Ah! Aaah... erm... Well! It-it is true Tsugaru-nii is good with sewing up ripped patches in my pants every time I trip but, but I think that's beside the point!"

"Now, now. Don't be shy~~" Psyche raised his cleaver and Tsuki flinched.

"What are you two doing."

There was a cold, almost apathetic bored tone as the two boys were held up into the air.

"Waaah! Let go! Let go! I didn't do anything... yet!" Psyche squirmed as his hoodie was held up high.

"Hey, this is no way to treat your royalty! Unhand me now!" Hibiya squirmed in mid-air with his brother.

"And what are you doing holding a cleaver?" Roppi glared down at his younger brother.

"I was just cutting strawberries!" Psyche pouted like a duck.

"You don't cut strawberries with cleavers, Psyche. And who said you two can bully our guest." Roppi said calmly, and then smashed their foreheads together. He brushed his hands as he stepped forward and away from his younger brothers rolling on the ground in pain.

Tsuki couldn't help but be reminded of himself with his older brother Delic few days ago and laughed awkwardly at the irony.

Roppi looked to see his guest and blinked, taking a second to recognize him since he had grown so tall.

"Tsukishima? Why are you here? It's quite far from home... did you get lost?"

Tsuki's shoulders drooped at those words.

Roppi then reconsidered, seeing Tsuki's disappointed face. "Oh I see. Did one of my brothers cause trouble again? So which one was it? I'll hand him over… after spanking properly." Roppi, being much taller than his two younger brothers, picked them up and dangled them like a pesky rabbit and a troublesome squirrel.

Tsuki couldn't help but smile in relief at seeing Roppi, who didn't look like he was anywhere near his death bed.

"Ah no... that's not it..."

Roppi was slightly taken aback by such a bashful but beautiful smile, through he quickly recovered himself, looking away. Tsuki wasn't smiling at him, Roppi thought to himself. He was just a nice guy, too considerate even while delivering a message that his brothers were being asses to his brothers.

Roppi's face went back to being apathetic as he believed that smile wasn't for him.

"Oh I see. So both of them caused trouble. I'll make sure to punish them properly." Roppi nodded calmly.

Hearing the word 'punishment,' the two brothers froze in fear. Quickly they both started to speak out,

"Wait, Roppi-chan! I didn't do anything to Tsu-chan! I swear! He shouldn't know about the time I put spiders in the underwear of that girl who sent him a confession letter… and ripping those letters too before he got them… I swear Tsu-chan didn't see me! I… I think."

"Wait, Roppi! Stop this insolent act! The one at fault is that pink eyed bastard! He kept cheating in the game so I had to show him who's the boss by riding him all day until he was tired out then kicked him down when he was weakened!"

Psyche and Roppi paused as they stared at Hibiya. His face flushed bright red at those accusatory eyes.

"W-what?"

"You  _rode_ him?" Roppi's eyes narrowed.

"How did you  _ride_  him, Hibi-chan~ I mean you do realize he probably made you just  _bottom-from-the-top_ " Psyche giggled.

"I do  _NOT_ bottom!" Hibiya yelled back, still being dangled in mid-air.

"Oh shush. There's no way a shortie like you can top. Don't you know the height rules?" Psyche crossed his arms and gave him the 'mightier-than-thou' high nose in the air.

"Why you insolent...!"

Hibiya and Psyche started pulling and clawing each other's face and hair. Rolling his eyes, Roppi bashed the two several times on their heads until they calmed down (or rather stunned until they had their eyes spinning dizzily).

"You two, stop it. Now go back with Tsukishima and apologize properly to his brothers. You two will bow, grinding your foreheads to the ground repeatedly and ask for forgiveness until you bleed red." Roppi said coldly.

"Erm..." Tsukishima hesitantly raised his hand to speak, like a nervous student afraid to interrupt his teacher from his mid lesson.

"Yes?" Roppi looked back at Tsuki.

Tsuki smiled tiredly. "I just came to see how you are doing Roppi-san. I... I'm glad you're al..."

Then, feeling the fatigue from his journey and doubled with feeling relieved at seeing how active Roppi looked, Tsuki fell forward and fainted dead away.

* * *

_Author's note: I normally do Omake at the end of the fic, but since it's a good place for break right now, I'll post two quick omakes. (and since this fic is probably gonna be long, I don't know if I'll remember these in the end) Enjoy._

* * *

**_\- Omake 1 – (Tsugaru and Psyche)_ **

Psyche grumbled and muttered as he ripped open the love letter, skimming through it roughly. He was hiding in a corner where the branches of the Main Houses joined, next to a trash can. Everyone else was busy with the festival and the only thing that kept Psyche company were his own footprints.

"Stupid bitches, thinking they can win Tsu-chan's heart with these dumb letters. Just because it's  _pink_  and  _cute_ doesn't mean he'll like them."

After snorting at the content, he took out his flickblade and started to slash at it.

"There, now it looks perfect." A creepy and bitter smile decorated his face as he tossed it into the trash can.

'Stupid unspoken rule. If it weren't for that… I would have already confessed to Tsu-chan too.'

The bitterness ate away into Psyche's heart and spread like the black plague.

'If only if that stupid unspoken rule didn't exist.'

He felt it was unfair that these dumb girls were allowed to confess to Tsugaru, but he could not.

And he never could.

For all of eternity.

As he closed the lid, Psyche wondered if he should light the trash can on fire. He heard a soft voice behind him say,

"What are you doing, Psyche?"

Psyche jumped, startled as if a lightning had struck from behind him.. He quickly turned to face a blond wearing his usual blue haori and white kimono.

"Ah... ah... ah... Just taking out the t-trash!" Psyche wrapped his hands behind him and around the trashcan protectively.

Tsugaru tilted his head, his expression slightly hinting confusion.

"Was that pink letter for me?"

Psyche felt his heart drop. 'Did he see? How much did he see?'

"N-n-no! No. It's not! It.. it's nothing but trash! Really!"

"Then why can't I see it?"

"Uhhh... ...! Actually erm, let me get it for you then!" Psyche jumped into the trashcan and closed the lid behind him, hiding.

He wanted to crawl in here and just die.

He wondered if he should just pick a random piece of trash to show at Tsugaru to prove it really was just trash.

Then he realized he himself was trash, inside the trashcan.

He belonged here.

'How embarrassing... I can't believe I just crawled into a trash can myself. Tsu-chan must think I'm an idiot. And dirty. And just plain dumb.'

Feeling sorry for himself, Psyche started to cry inside the trash can, forgetting that he was suppose to find the 'trash' to show to Tsugaru.

Not that it mattered, he was the real trash. The trash that should be burned. How ironic, a real piece of trash pretending not to be trash by showing off the 'trash' to Tsugaru.

Light flooded inside the trash can as the lid was opened.

Hand dipped in and pulled the crying boy out.

"Alright, I won't ask what you threw away. Though if you had written me something, you should just show it to me instead of trashing it, Psyche."

Psyche buried his head next to Tsugaru's neck as the older man held him up and continued to cry.

'Ah… he thought... I had written it.'

'I can't tell him.'

'I'm so filthy... Who would like me?'

Tsugaru patted Psyche's back soothingly and slowly Psyche calmed down. He wrapped his arms around Tsugaru's neck and his legs around his waist and held on just a bit longer for the warmth he desired but could never have.

"You've ruined your clothes. Hachimenroppi would scold me if I brought you to him like this. Since my wing is closer, I suggest you wash yourself."

Then Psyche realized something. He quickly straightened up his arms and looked straight into Tsugaru's calm blue eyes.

"T-Tsu-chan! Wait! I-I'm dirty right now! I'm ruining your clothes!"

Tsugaru looked unperturbed as he look down at his now also dirtied haori.

"Ah, so it seems."

Psyche flushed, even more mortified that he had dirtied Tsugaru too.

"I guess I'll have to join you in the baths."

. . .

Psyche gasped softly, his eyes widening as Tsugaru smiled back at him.

His face burning, Psyche went back to burying his face next to Tsugaru's neck and softly replied, "O-okay..."

* * *

**_\- Omake 2 – (Delic and Hibiya)_ **

"Cho (even)!" Hibiya shouted. Delic smirked.

"Are you suuuure~?"

"I'm sure!" Hibiya pouted.

Delic opened the cup and revealed the dice.

"It's han (odd). Sorry chibi, your loss."

Hibiya growled. "I bet you're cheating."

"How can I cheat? I can't tell what's inside the cup." Delic shrugged, spreading out his arms like a jester.

Hibiya frowned. "I'm sure you're still cheating!" He squinted his eyes and tried his hardest to figure it out.

"Well, if you can catch me cheat, tell me. I'd sure like to know."

The two were inside one of the many rooms in the Main House. There were only simple decorations, a stand with an ornate flower arrangement and a tatami mat that covered the floor.

A perfect place to play games.

Hibiya loved games. He loved playing hide and seek, or simple board games. He loved playing with beigoma (spinning tops) or with kendama, or even marbles.

What Hibiya hated, though, was losing.

He knew he was a sore loser but it didn't matter. A prince never lost! A prince must not lose! So each time he lost, he would say, "one more time!"

He always needed to win back his honor.

Soon enough, all the kids stopped playing with him. But Hibiya refused to change his ways.

Delic also loved games. Though the types of games he played were vastly different from his little cousin Hibiya.

He loved flirting with women. Sometimes even with men. He loved teasing them, poking at their weaknesses, making them madly flush with embarrassment and shame, and woo them until their bottoms blushed pink.

What Delic hated was being told that 'he can't do that.' Being told what he can and cannot do frustrated him, especially since Tsugaru always did so at home.

So he always pushed a bit more, seeking his limit and his boundaries with each person. Seeing how far he could go.

The two looked like an unlikely duo and a mismatched pair, but deep inside, they were both gamers. And they connected in a strange and unusual way.

"Well, admit that you lost this round. So you'll have to take off one of your clothes." Delic smirked. He loved teasing this prude boy. He loved making fun of him, making him blush, and making him feel ashamed. And Hibiya always wanted to play the game until he won, no matter what.

Strangely the pair worked.

They were playing a combination of strip poker and Cho-han bakuchi. Each time Hibiya incorrectly guessed if the dices inside the cup were even or odd, he had to take off a garment of clothes. If he won, Delic lost a garment.

Hibiya took an intake of breath before slowly, he took off his pants.

Delic smiled as he watched the boy strip, his face flushed red with something between anger and shame. A face he couldn't help but get addicted to.

It didn't matter whose face it was.

He just loved watching anyone humiliated.

Perhaps he was a bit of a sadist. But sometimes a sadist was a masochist waiting for a perfect master to defeat him in his game.

"There," Hibiya said as he took off his pants. Now he was just wearing his boxers, a cape and his crown on his head.

Delic smirked as he rolled the two dice, shaking it inside the two cups before slamming the cup upside down on the floor.

"Cho!" Hibiya shouted again.

And when Delic revealed the dices inside, Hibiya rejoiced when he saw the even set of numbers.

"See~ how can I be cheating if I lose too." Delic shrugged. He was just wearing his boxers, his necktie and his headset. He had already taken off his suit, shirt and pants. (But Hibiya told him to keep the necktie to humiliate him. It only amused Delic.)

"I still think you're cheating." Hibiya pouted.

"Well, which one?" Delic shrugged.

Hibiya eyed the boxers and blushed.

"T-t-t-the necktie..." Hibiya stammered, looking away.

"Aren't you going to look?" Delic smirked as he yanked off his necktie.

"No thanks. Not interested. It's indecent." Hibiya mumbled.

"That's no fun."

"I only agreed to this shameful punishment act because you said you'll play games with me under that one condition," Hibiya said with resolute voice, trying to reaffirm to himself why he had even agreed to such preposterous idea.

"Yeah, yeah," Delic said as he took the two dices into his hands to roll.

Unknown to Hibiya, Delic was cheating.

He was an expert with dice. In fact, with a lot of games. He always perfected all gambling games. Money came with women. So did booze. He made sure he knew how to win every single gambling games in order to impress the ladies.

It was a game Hibiya would never win.

He didn't even realize that Delic had ensnared the young boy into his trap to play games until the blond got tired of him and threw him away.

Just like how he treated all his women and men. They were tossed away like old toys.

But for now, Hibiya was interesting. So the game continued.

Delic smirked as he slammed down the cup onto the floor again.

"Cho!" Hibiya shouted again.

"Seriously, don't you want to guess han sometimes?" Delic sighed.

"It's 50-50 anyway, so why does it matter?" Hibiya shrugged.

"Persistent."

When Delic revealed the dices, they were odds, to Hibiya's dismay.

"You cheated!" Hibiya shouted again.

"Look chibi, how could I be cheating? I place the dice on the floor, and you guess. There is no way for me to change the dice once it's on the floor." Delic sighed.

That was a lie.

Delic always knew if it was even or odd right before he lowered the cup to the floor. And if Hibiya guessed it right, he would  _tip_ one of the dice over to the side as he raised the cup up.

It was a simple trick. A trick Hibiya still couldn't figure out.

"Well..." Hibiya stammered.

"Anyways, one of your garment needs to come off. I don't care which." Delic smirked.

Hibiya squirmed. Closing his eyes shut, he stood up with whatever dignity he had left...

... and took off his boxers.

Delic blinked, a bit surprised. Then whistled with renewed appreciation.

"I didn't know you had it in you... How naughty."

Hibiya hissed as he wrapped his cape around his lower half. "Shut up. The game's not over yet!"

"Very true."

So the game went on.

And now Delic was only wearing his boxers (because Hibiya refused to see Delic's  _'indecency'_ ) while Hibiya only had his cape and his crown.

"Cho!" Hibiya said again.

Delic smiled naughtily as he flipped the dice with his cup to make it into 'han.'

Hibiya's face was priceless.

"Well, looks like you'll have to either take off the cape or the crown. Which will it be? I'll let you decide." Delic said amiably, pretending to show his  _generosity._

Hibiya whimpered, trying to make up his decision.

Delic's eyes widened in surprise as the boy loosened the knot to his cape and took it off.

Delic's pink and devious eyes took in the shameful flushed body of the boy as he tried his best to cover himself with his arms.

"S-stop staring, you insolent fool!"

Delic mused as his fingers played with the dices before he put them back into the cup. It was a pleasant surprise, but he felt as if his biggest prize was taken from him.

Any normal person would have taken off the crown, not the cape that could cover his body.

Now there was nothing covering the boy, Delic's shoulders drooped. The game wasn't fun anymore.

Perhaps it was time to throw the boy away and find himself a new toy.

But out of curiosity, right before he tossed away the toy, Delic asked Hibiya,

"Tell me... why did you take off the cape instead of the crown?"

Hibiya scowled as if Delic was a village idiot.

"That's because I'm a prince."

"Prince?" Delic didn't understand.

"Yes. A prince would never take off his crown. It's his vow to his people. No matter how many times my foes may stomp down on me, I will never forget that a prince will always rise back to fight for his people."

Delic dropped his dice from his hand as his mouth gaped open in shock.

For the first time, his heart was touched by such pure and sincere devotion.

His fingers shook as he picked the dice back up.

'I really am a fool...' Delic thought to himself. And here he thought that stripping this boy would break him down. Shame him to the point of no return.

But no, Hibiya was a boy far different from others.

For the first time, Delic felt something in his heart. Something that made his heart beat fast as a strangely warm sensation spread throughout his body.

"The game isn't over yet!" Hibiya shouted, fiery.

"Yes, the game isn't over yet." Delic murmured as he tossed the dice back into the cups.

He shook it. He slammed it down to the floor.

He knew that the dice inside were odds.

"Cho!" Hibiya said again.

Delic smiled bitterly. Now it was his turn to decide.

Hibiya and Delic each had only one garment of clothing left to bid.

This was the deciding battle.

Should he cheat?

Or should he...

Closing his eyes, Delic made a decision.

He tipped the dice as he lifted the cup.

"I won!" Hibiya shouted, jumping up for joy, not caring that he was naked.

Delic smiled as he looked up at such a happy face.

For the first time in Delic's life, he cheated so he would lose.

But strangely, it felt worth it.

The bittersweet loss felt more bitter than sweet when Delic remembered the 'unspoken rule.'

'Ah... I forgot. I can't fall for him huh... not that it matters. The Great Delic shouldn't fall for anyone.' Delic thought to himself.

After dancing with joy for few minutes, Hibiya did a haughty 'ahem,' and stood in front of Delic proudly.

"Now then, I remember the winner got to do anything he wanted,  _riiiiight?_ " Hibiya smirked deviously.

Delic decided to take that back, gulping. It was never worth losing in a game.

"Ahahaha... ha... Do we have to? I mean you've already won and er…." Delic stammered nervously.

"No, rules are rules!" Hibiya smirked, his grin mischievous.

"Oh boy..." Delic resigned to his fate. "Alright. What do you want?"

Delic waited for the worst.

"Let's play more games!" Hibiya shouted.

"Eh? Excuse me?" Delic blinked in confusion.

"More games!" Hibiya giggled. By now he had forgotten that they were both very much so naked.

Delic sighed in relief. He was glad that Hibiya was just a kid and his 'punishments' were not so humiliating as the ones he would think of.

"Alright little prince, what kind of games do you want to play next?" Delic smiled, half amused.

"Prince and his horse! You'll have to walk on all four legs and I'll ride you!"

Delic turned pale when he realized what that meant.

"W-wait, Hibiya-kun~ Y-you can't be serious. Haha... I mean, sure I'll be a laughing stock but they'll make fun of you too ... you know?" Delic tried to reason with the boy.

"Why would they? You're my horse and I'm the prince. Besides, you said you'll take any punishment no matter what. So let's go!" Hibiya started to gather his clothes and pulled them on.

"Wait, Hibiya~~ let's try to play another game? Huh? How about it?" Delic started to plead. But Hibiya had already dressed and jumped on top of the blond's back.

"No! We're gonna play right now!" Hibiya grabbed Delic's necktie and pulled it between the blond's mouth so he could use it as his rein.

"B-but I'm not dressed yet!" Delic continued to struggle, trying to figure out more reasons to get out of his predicament.

"Who said horses needed clothes?"

Hibiya's devilish golden eyes sucked in Delic's pink ones as he froze in realization.

Perhaps Hibiya really was more than what he seemed.

**_-Omake End-_ **

****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AA's Note: There's a second part with the 'riding' part of this omake, but that'll be for another time :3  
> The 'unspoken rule' will be revealed next time too~


	8. Chapter 8

Tsuki opened his eyes when a streak of light passed by his closed eye lids.

He blinked as he looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling in a unfamiliar room. The window next to him was opened and he could see countless falling stars zipping past through the night sky.

It was beautiful sight.

Then he turned to his side and was startled to see Roppi asleep next to him, with the chair pulled up close and his head on his arms as pillows, using the bed to lay his face.

Tsuki was so scared to breath, just in case he woke up Roppi. Though that thought was silly, he tried to lower the sound of his breathing.

The lights from the window continued to streak across, illuminating the room with rain lights as Roppi continued to sleep. Tsuki couldn't help but think how beautiful Hachimenroppi was... He wanted to stare at him forever, but he was worried that sleeping like that was uncomfortable, and he should wake him up. And then there was the case with that red fur coat slipping down one shoulder... wouldn't he be cold? Should Tsuki try to cover him up?

Then he was moved to tears at the thought that Roppi had taken care of him.

Overwhelmed by so many thoughts and emotions, Tsuki wasn't sure what he should do first. Though what he wanted to do first was kiss those lips that breathed quietly.

Then he scolded himself for thinking such a scandalous thought, something only his second older brother should do.

Considering that he should perhaps let Roppi sleep but cover him with something warm, Tsuki slightly lifted the covers of his sheets and started to wrap it around Roppi when...

... Roppi blinked open his eyes at the sound and looked up. He immediately stopped himself from half getting up as his head almost bumped into Tsuki's. No rather, their lips almost met.

Tsuki froze in mid pose, his hands holding onto the bed sheets, his arms around Roppi though not quite touching him. Their faces were so close. So very close... just one push and they could...

"I... I... I'm so sorry! Did I wake you up Roppi-san?" Tsuki stammered his apology and quickly backed away to the far end of the bed, bowing down with his head to the mattress.

Roppi sighed, though his face remained emotionless, his heart was pounding fast.

"I-I'm so sorry! I'm sorry you had to take care of me Roppi-san, that was so insensitive of-"

"No matter. You must be hungry." Roppi stopped him before Tsuki continued to apologize for another hour.

"Ah... I don't want to further intrude..." Tsuki raised his head.

A small smile formed on Roppi's lips. His brothers were never this obedient or cute.

"Don't worry. Your brothers would skin me alive and make me into snake jerky if I let you starve. So come to the kitchen." he turned to walk out of the room.

Tsuki tilted his head at Roppi's very unusual sense of ...humor?

Tsuki followed Roppi out to the living room. Immediately Roppi was tackled by his two crying younger brothers. Tsuki winced and quickly tried to rush to help Roppi up.

"Roppiiiiii~~~~~ Psyche crushed my crown~~!" Hibiya whined and cried as he held onto the fallen older brother who still struggled to semi-sit up. Tsuki noted that the paper crown was getting more crushed as Hibiya held on tighter.

Psyche was also by Roppi's side crying as he pushed away Hibiya so he could hug Roppi more. "Nooo! Hibi-chan started it! He ripped my voodoo dolls!"

"That's because you poisoned my food!" Hibiya shouted at Psyche as he tugged Roppi closer to him.

"No I didn't! And stop ordering me around!" Psyche tugged Roppi closer to  _his_ side.

"I'm a monarch! Of course you're supposed to obey my orders!" Another tug.

"I'm not your slave! Besides, I'm older so you're suppose to listen to  _me!_ " And another tug.

Roppi sat in the middle like a rag doll being tossed back and forth between the two's tug of war. He rolled his eyes a bit and listened for a second to figure out what the problem was. Then he got up with Tsuki's help.

"Okay, enough you two. Now stop fighting. Hibiya, don't go ripping someone else's things. And Psyche, stop teasing Hibiya about his hobbies."

"Being a Prince is NOT a hobby!" Hibiya retorted.

Roppi clapped his hands to catch their attention. "Hibiya, go get your gold origami papers. And Psyche, go fetch my sewing kit."

Tsuki wasn't sure what he should do but already Roppi walked over to the living room and sat down by the kotatsu. Tsuki sat next to him as Hibiya and Psyche brought their things. He watched as Roppi folded another golden crown for Hibiya and then sewed back together Psyche's 'voodoo doll' which looked disturbingly too similar to Tsugaru.

The two happily took their fixed objects of affection and ran off to play.

"Sorry about that." Roppi apologized as he got up.

"Erm… no, not at all."

Roppi blinked at Tsuki, who was staring at him with great admiration. And possibly more. Feeling a slight heat to his cheeks, Roppi quickly turned away and walked to the kitchen.

"Sorry, we don't have much but..."

Roppi and Tsuki both stopped at the entrance to the kitchen.

It was a mess. With pink cake frosting all over the ceiling, the floor, the walls, the tables, the kitchen counter and by the handle of refrigerator door.

There was a mysterious and suspicious red sticky juice all over the floor, but one glance to the trash can explained the source as strawberry stems littered the corner.

"Psy... che...!" Roppi growled, facepalming at the mess.

"I... I'll help you clean the mess." Tsuki offered as he rushed in. He found the mop easily and started to fill the bucket with soap and water.

Roppi looked a bit tired but thanked him. Tsuki and Roppi cleaned up the floor and the kitchen counter first, so Roppi could cook while Tsuki could continue to clean. Roppi washed the pot and filled it with water for soup. While the water boiled, he added the spices and flavoring. Then he took out some carrots and potatoes to cut them.

When he opened the drawer for with knives, Roppi couldn't help but smile at the hand-written note in Psyche's writing that read, "Not for Roppi-chan."

Ignoring the note he carefully took out the knife anyway.

The first cut to the carrots were okay. He carefully made sure his fingers were out of the way and just cut off the top.

Then came the potatoes.

The light tan colors of the potatoes were so similar to his finger colors.

The sound it made as the knife hit the dash board... a chop. ...And a chop. ...And another chop.

And the feel of the knife as it slid through the chunk.

A chop... And a chop... ...And another chop.

After putting them in the pot, Roppi opened the fridge and found the meat.

Red meat was placed onto the cutting board.

He touched the red meat with his fingertips, holding the flesh in his hand.

It was still moist with blood.

Roppi slid his knife through them.

It cut cleanly.

With a chop...

...And a chop.

And another chop...

Roppi's fingers slightly quivered as he held the knife.

A small tremble and that was all.

But he could see that knife so easily slice the meat in half.

Just a chunk of flesh.

And the blood would pour out.

It was so easy.

So simple.

To take a life away.

To just...

"Roppi-san?'

Roppi blinked as he was snapped out of his trance. He felt a warm hand on top of the hand that held the knife. He looked up to see a concerned face.

"Are you alright Roppi-san? You stopped and were staring at the meat… I wasn't sure if you had hurt yourself."

Roppi blinked again, remaining silent as he looked back at the hands holding the meat and the knife.

"I... I'm fine."

Tsuki could tell he wasn't. In fact, Roppi was shaking.

"I'll take over. I cleaned up the kitchen. Maybe you stood for too long?"

Tsuki wasn't sure what was wrong but he knew that the atmosphere in the room had changed. A slight shift.

Something was off.

Roppi merely nodded and let go of the knife and the meat. He washed his hands. Tsuki helped him walk to the small table with three chairs in the kitchen that they used for quick breakfast eating.

Though Roppi had sat down, Tsuki continued to hold his hand and didn't leave his side, peering into those unfocused eyes.

Tsuki sat in front of Roppi and stared up at him. "Roppi-san...?"

Roppi stared back at him but yet his eyes weren't focused on him.

They were seeing something past Tsuki.

Something beyond.

"I'm trapped..." Roppi murmured, barely audible.

"Trapped?" Tsuki asked, trying to understand him.

Roppi nodded his head once listlessly.

With his thumbs, Tsuki made small circles on top of Roppi's hands he held gently.

"Roppi-san."

Roppi did not respond.

With a bit more firmer voice, Tsuki called, "Roppi-san."

Roppi remained motionless, his eyes still looking past Tsuki.

Tsuki took a deep breath. He wasn't sure if he should do it but if Roppi continued, he'd have to…

"What are you doing?"

Tsuki quickly turned, looking behind him to notice Hibiya peeking in.

"Ah, Hibiya-san..."

"That's Hibiya-sama to you. The water's boiling over you know."

"Ah!"

Tsuki quickly rushed over to lower the heat on the stove.

He had totally forgotten about the food. It wasn't burned but he realized that he should cut the meat and toss it in.

"Ah, Roppi touched the knife again didn't he?" Hibiya sighed. "Hey, new comer. Since Roppi let you in, I guess we'll trust you, but at least learn some basic manners." He glared at Tsuki who looked back at Hibiya with confusion.

"Roppi shouldn't be allowed near knives. Which is why Psyche started cooking even if it's terrible without the poison."

Tsuki tilted his head in confusion as Hibiya washed the knife and put it back in the drawer.

"Nothing sharp. We can't have anything sharp near Roppi. Got it? That's our house rule."

Tsuki nodded slowly as Hibiya glared up at him.

"Good. Now then hmm… what to do with this soup." Hibiya stared at it.

"I'll... do the cooking. I used to help out Tsugaru nii-san often in the kitchen." Tsuki scratched the back of his head as he hung it low. Hibiya nodded solemly.

"Good. Then I'll take Roppi to his room. He'll be useless for a few hours when he's in a trance."

"A trance?" Tsuki asked, quickly darting his eyes back at the man who sat in the chair limply as if his soul left him.

"Exactly how much do you know about him?" Hibiya scowled before he walked over to his oldest brother.

"Come Roppi. Let's go back to bed." Hibiya held up Roppi's hand and led him back to his room, almost like guiding a pet dog.

Tsuki watched as he thought to himself, '...exactly how much  _do_  I know of Roppi-san...?'


	9. Chapter 9

Tsuki finished the soup the best he could. He wasn't sure if he should eat it alone in the kitchen or take some to Roppi. He wasn't even sure if he should bother Roppi when he needed his rest.

The house was quiet. He wasn't sure if the house was supposed to be this quiet but the silence was foreboding. Perhaps it was because he was at someone else's house… but the silence at his house wasn't so threatening. Granted, it was rarely silent, all with Delic making a ruckus all the time, either bringing guests in or teasing his two brothers with unfunny jokes. Even when Delic was out frolicking, their house still carried a warm atmosphere.

But this house was different. It was cold. Even with the lights turned on, the corners of the rooms were dark, the shadows lingering.

Tsuki wasn't sure what this house's etiquette was since everyone was so different from what he was used to. He decided in the end to sit at the table where Roppi was at just moments before and ate his soup in silence, the broth the only thing that warmed him up in this house.

After he finished, he cleaned up the kitchen. There was still some soup left because Roppi had made too much for one person but just enough for two.

Tsuki wasn't sure if he was being presumptuous but it did make him wonder if Roppi had intended for them to eat together. Scooping up the rest into a bowl, he decided to visit Roppi in his room.

He knocked on the door, the rap too loud in the quiet house as he softly spoke, "Roppi-san… are you asleep? May I come in?"

There was only more silence.

Tsuki politely knocked twice more before he decided to be brave and open the door. Besides, he was curious about Roppi's room.

The door creaked as if opening to a haunted room. At first, Tsuki thought the lights were off because it was black inside. Then to his startled realization, he noticed the room itself was black. No, rather, it was scorched. There were some fraying and yellowing wallpapers that showed that the room was once covered in white walls. But now there was only black, the marks running from the sub-center and crawling up the walls and to the ceiling like legs of a giant spider towering over its prey.

Shivering, Tsuki closed the door behind him, slightly confused as to why they have not yet fixed the room since the 'fire accident' event.

Instead he focused his attention on the man propped up on his bed, staring at the closed window. He wasn't asleep.

"Roppi-san? Erm… I wasn't sure if you made the soup for the two of us but I gathered… that…you might… have…" Tsuki's voice thinned out near the end and trailed off as he watched the man stare out at the closed window, his eyes unfocused.

"Roppi-san?" Tsuki walked over, setting the bowl next to the nightstand. As he stood next to him, he heard the raven mutter, "I can't see the light anymore."

"Oh, you mean the stars?" Tsuki looked at the window, confused why he didn't open them. So he pushed the windows open for Roppi.

Suddenly light flooded the dark room as they both looked out, the April meteor showers illuminating the sky as the silvery threads streaked across, piercing the darkness.

"It's… beautiful." Roppi's eyes softened, longing for the light.

Tsuki looked back at Roppi's face, still confused as to… well everything. What was Roppi truly sick with? Why did he have such a longing face? Why did he look so hurt?

_"Exactly how much do you know about him?"_

Hibiya's words rang in his ears and Tsuki's heart ached.

'That's why I'm here aren't I? To get to know him.' Tsuki told himself, determined.

"Ah, Roppi-san… I brought you some soup. Are you hungry?"

Roppi looked away from the window to stare at Tsuki's face. His eyes looked a bit vacant, as if the owner was not home. Tsuki puffed up his chest and looked determined not to back down. Roppi was sick, this was no time for him to worry about himself.

"Here," he said as Tsuki sat next to Roppi on the bed with the soup and spoon. He took a scoop and blew it cool. He brought the spoon near those thin lips and watched them part to swallow the warm liquid.

"Do you like it?"

Roppi merely nodded in response. Though he looked as if his mind was absent, he was responding properly. With a bit more courage, Tsuki chattered, filling the silence of the room with his voice.

"Ah, that's good. Well, you made it Roppi-san so I guess asking if it's good or not is a bit weird, hahaha. I really liked it." Tsuki continued to blow on the soup and held up the spoon to Roppi's lips. He silently drank the soup little by little until he was done. Once finished, Tsuki lowered the bowl back to the table and wondered what he should do. Should he explain why he was here? Then Tsuki wondered if he was being a bother being in the room. He wasn't sure what he should do while he stayed as a guest. He had came because he wanted to see Roppi and try to nurse him but… Tsuki wasn't sure how he was going to do that either.

"Ah… did you need your rest Roppi-san? P-perhaps I should leave so you could sleep?" Tsuki laughed nervously.

The older man regarded him quietly at first then spoke softly, "I am not sleepy."

"Ah… why not? Did you sleep earlier?" Tsuki asked, trying to see if he could get the conversation going. He wasn't really good at talking, that was Delic's job. He was more of a listener, or so he thought.

"No, I don't sleep."

"You don't? Why? Aren't you tired?"

"Because I'll have nightmares," Roppi replied simply without a hint of emotion. It was as if he had said "I mowed the grass today," a simple fact and nothing more.

Tsuki stared, not quite sure how to reply to that.

"Do you… always have nightmares?"

Roppi nodded.

"When was… the last time you slept, Roppi-san?"

The dark haired man lowered his gaze. "I don't remember."

Tsuki stared down at those two hands folded neatly on Roppi's lap. He swallowed hard, his fingers lightly curling indecisively before Tsuki gently reached out and carefully settled his hand on top of Roppi's. "I… I'll stay here with you while you sleep Roppi-san… if it would help."

Roppi looked up to meet Tsuki's gaze, his eyes wistful. Their eyes locked for what seemed like a second of eternity, finding comfort in the unwavering gaze.

The star of Vega simply nodded, reclined back and closed his eyes.

Tsuki's heart raced as he watched the man calmly lay on his pillow.

Trust.

He had finally earned Roppi's trust.

With a small awkward smile forming on his lips, he giddily slipped down and sat on the chair next to the bed. Noting that his hand still had not left Roppi's, Tsuki pondered for a second if he should remove it. But considering the man had not said no, Tsuki decided to leave it there, his hand warming up those two cold hands.

Tsuki laid his head on his outstretched arm and watched Roppi fall into even breathing and drift into sleep. He watched happily, memorizing the beautiful face that made his heart soar, before he too closed his eyes unknowingly and drifted into sleep with the sound of falling stars a constant melody to his ears.

* * *

_Locked._

_I'm locked away._

_He locks the door behind him and comes closer, each step loud as a thunder in the silent room._

_"Don't…" I plead._

_I beg._

_I watch as he climbs up on the bed._

_I watch as his hands slip under my shirt, pulling them above my head._

_They roam._

_Like black widow spiders, they crawl on top of my skin, spinning a web as I'm tangled in this bed sheet, unable to move, unable to run and unable to fight back._

_With the shirt covering my vision I let out a stuttering gasp._

_A pinch._

_A suck._

_A nip._

_My pants are pulled as he spreads apart my legs, hooking them on his shoulders._

_Don't…_

_Don't… please…._

_Don't….!_

* * *

"Roppi-san! Roppi-san!"

Hachimenroppi was shaken awake as he blinked open his eyes, glad to see that his vision wasn't covered. He looked up, confused as he stared up at those concerned crimson eyes as the fair-haired boy stared down at him. Tsuki's hand stroked Roppi's cheeks and the older man blinked in surprise as the tears rolled down. He didn't know why he was crying.

"Roppi-san, are you okay? It looked like you were having a bad dream… so I woke you up."

Roppi pushed himself up and sat. His hands trembled as he brought them to his face, wiping away the tears he wasn't sure why he had.

"Are you… okay? Did you have another nightmare?"

Roppi nodded without speaking.

"Do you… want to talk about it?" Tsuki wasn't sure if he should ask but… some people preferred to rant when they have problems, right?

But no. Roppi shook his head, declining Tsuki's kind offer.

"Let me get you a glass of wat…" Tsuki got up to leave.

Immediately Roppi reached out and grabbed at the hem of Tsuki's scarf, stopping him. Tsuki turned around, surprised as Roppi too looked up, also surprised at his own reaction. He quickly let go and slid back to the corner of his bed, his face turned away in embarrassment.

"Would… you rather I stay, Roppi-san?" Tsuki asked gently as he sat on the bed and leaned forward. He watched the quiet man, waiting for any response. The older man was trembling, shaking violently as if he was cold.

Tsuki wanted to hug him.

Tell him that it was alright.

Normally Tsuki scold himself for such a greedy and selfish thought. Especially since Roppi did not voice that he wanted an embrace.

But that small gesture where he had reached out and grabbed the scarf…

Tsuki leaned forward, climbing up on the bed carefully, his eyes trained on the quivering man. He made his way closer, little by little, so that Roppi had time to say no if he didn't want it.

Quietly, without speaking, Tsuki spread his arms and gathered the trembling man close, letting Roppi lean against him. Tsuki was glad that he was taller and bigger now, his chest large enough to cushion the voiceless man.

"It's alright Roppi-san. I'm here," Tsuki spoke softly, as if speaking to a recently rescued cat that was up in a tree for hours, frightened out of its mind.

Roppi continued to tremble but it subsided slowly as Tsuki's hand brushed his raven hair. His cold body warmed up to his touches as he relaxed and breathed in. A hesitant hand pulled up to cling to Tsuki's shirt and Roppi drifted back into sleep at the sound of the calmly beating heart of the blond.


	10. Chapter 10

Behind closed eyes, Tsuki felt warm waves of shimmering lights glowing in front of him. He opened his eyes slowly as the light flooded his vision. He gazed up, waking up to a beautiful rain of shooting stars, silently streaking across the skies, falling softly like the warm spring rain that thawed winter snow.

Tsukishima groaned lightly, feeling groggy. He felt a weight on his arm and turned his head, half ready to get up before Tsugaru nii-san would come asking him to help him with breakfast and wake up the sleepy-head Delic, probably still drunk from last night's fun.

The blond froze stiff when he came face to face with Hachimenroppi, sleeping next to him, using his right arm for a pillow. The youth's eyes widened and his heartbeat quickened ten times faster. Tsuki quickly remembered where he was. He was at Hachimenroppi's household. He had travelled across half the universe to see him, worried sick that he was dying. He wasn't sure if he could help the man, but before he died, Tsuki had to see him.

He had a message to deliver.

Tsuki took a deep breath and slowly let it out, gazing into Roppi's sleeping face. His breathing was even and slow. The blanket had fallen down to their waists and his black jacket with red fur had slipped down his thin shoulders. He was pale, too pale. He was so thin, Tsuki wished he'd eat more often.

Nervously, Tsuki lifted his free hand and brushed back the bangs that had fallen over his eyes. He was partially worried he would wake the man but he didn't. He stared at those lips as they parted, letting out a soft sigh of content. Tsuki was glad that he wasn't having nightmares anymore, though he scolded himself mentally for falling asleep instead of keeping his vigil. He felt even more guilty that he didn't regret falling asleep next to Roppi. In fact, he was happy inside, his heart soaring as he watched the man sleep.

Tsuki smiled softly when Roppi wrinkled his nose, tickled, before the bang fell back to its original place, covering his eyes again. Then Roppi moved closer, leaning forward, his hands reaching out to hold onto the front of Tsuki's shirt to cuddle into his warmth, tucking his head right under Tsuki's chin. The blond youth's heart fluttered, wanting to hold him closer. He shifted just a bit, leaning forward, his mouth almost touching Roppi's forehead...

*Slam!*

Tsuki jumped lightly, startled. The door somewhere in the house slammed shut and there were running sets of feet as Hibiya's small scream was heard along with a peal of laughter which was definitely from Psyche. Tsuki could hear something about Psyche again mocking him again. This time, something about staining his cape.

Sighing, Tsuki decided it wouldn't be good if he was seen with Roppi. He carefully pulled away, his arm slowly inching out as he replaced it with a pillow. He smiled as Roppi leaned in closer, his fingers still clutching his shirt. Feeling a bit regretful, Tsuki uncurled those fingers one by one. His heart tugged to see those fingers reach out for empty air, so he closed his hand around them and squeezed once, letting him know he was there. Roppi seemed to relax then so before Tsuki could change his mind, he slipped out.

Seeing the empty bowl he had placed on the nightstand, Tsuki took it and closed the door behind him. The house was big and he had forgotten how to get back to the kitchen. It took awhile and when he finally got there, he realized that it was a mess again. Hibiya and Psyche must have made some breakfast since there were unwashed plates and dishes everywhere along with food crumbs on the floor.

Then he heard shouts and screaming as the two rowdy boys ran around the house.

Tsuki sighed. He decided something needed to be done.

"Hibiya-san! Psyche-san!" he called out to them, finding them in the living room. The floor was littered with over-turned chairs and tables as Hibiya was throwing bunny plushies at Psyche in anger as the pink eyed boy ducked just in time. The bunny lflew into Tsuki's face perfectly, the butt smacking the blond on the nose.

Tsuki couldn't help but sigh in despair when both ravens pointed at each other and shouted, "He did it first!" then scowled at each other.

Obviously, the two were used to blaming each other in front of Roppi.

"Actually…" Tsuki began with a smile, "I need help with the kitchen…"

The two stared at him. Hibiya was the first to react as he crossed his arms and said, "well, you're the youngest now, so as the servant and a commoner, you should do the dishes."

'I see…' Tsuki thought to himself. He guessed that the two must have been fighting over who had to do the dishes. Psyche must have pushed the fact that he was older and the younger must obey, while of course, Hibiya must have pushed that a prince doesn't do 'dishes.'

Never mind the fact that Tsuki was the guest of the house. If it was Tsugaru, he would have spanked both Tsuki and Delic if they acted this way at their house, regardless of the fact that Tsuki was much taller than both and Delic was too old to be spanked.

"Actually…," Tsuki decided to change the matter. "I was thinking of a different kind of help. I don't know where the detergent is."

The two looked at Tsuki. "Oh, of course," both realized. Tsuki didn't live there, of course he wouldn't know where anything is.

Psyche and Hibiya both led Tsuki to help him find the detergent. Then Tsuki asked for mops, pail and soaps. Then he asked how to clean the stains on the floor, what to use, how to use them. He asked how to clean the sink, how to wipe the table, which towel to use to clean the stains and how does one take out the trash? Where was the recycling bin? Did they want to turn over the chairs back before Roppi woke up? How did one dust the corners of the rooms?

At first both Psyche and Hibiya were standing there giving orders, but seeing how Tsuki didn't know how to do  _anything_ they took over in showing 'how' to do everything. Soon enough the kitchen was clean, the living room was organized and little by little, Tsuki took them to each room, cleaning up all the mess. They even scrubbed the bathroom clean.

Finally the entire house was sparkling clean, neat and tidy. Hibiya and Psyche did a 'hurray!' with Tsuki and looked happy with their accomplishments.

"Now then, there's still one room we haven't cleaned," Tsuki smiled, content with the work they've done with just a bit of coaxing.

The two looked up at him wide-eyed.

"We still haven't cleaned Hachimenroppi-san's room. Though we should be quiet so we don't wake him up," Tsuki made a 'shh' noise as he placed a finger on his lips. The two have been following him along nicely so he continued to play this game.

However, the two didn't seem to buy it this time as they stole a few nervous glances at each other. Unfortunately for Tsuki who was too pleased with his accomplishment, he didn't noticed the looks they were sending to each other.

"I think we should really fix up his walls. The wallpapers are charred. How about we give his room a new make-over?" Tsuki smiled, hoping the two would follow along again with his little 'scheme.'

Hibiya was the first to speak, "but Roppi said…," Psyche quickly covered his younger brother's mouth and gave Tsuki the most sweetest smile.

"Sounds great! Let's do that! A new wallpaper!"

Tsuki blinked, confused. Why was Psyche…

Before Tsuki grow curious of Psyche's motive, the pink eyed young man added, "let's decorate his room pink! With cute bunny prints all over!"

Hibiya pried off the hand from his mouth and gasped for breath. But he quickly retorted, "Absolutely not! We will decorate his room with gold, fit for a king!"

"Pink!"

"Gold!"

"Pink!"

"GOLD!"

"PINK!"

"Guys, guys, guys…." Tsuki came in between the tugging brothers. "W-what color does Roppi-san like?"

"Blood red and black." Both replied simultaneously. Tsuki laughed nervously, deciding that those colors were bad idea even if they were Roppi's favorite.

"Let's go for blue. He likes looking out the window at the sky, right?"

Hibiya frowned. He was about to continue what he wanted to say but again Psyche quickly covered his mouth and agreed.

A bit too quickly, Tsuki thought. But no matter, they were gonna finally decorate Roppi's room. And hopefully, it would help Roppi having those nightmares.

They found the paints, brush, ladder and something to cover the floor from the storage. Quietly and sneakily, they opened the door to Roppi's room and brought them in. Hibiya wobbled a bit as the paint inside the can swirled to one side, making him bump into Psyche who bumped into Tsuki who was carrying the ladder. There was a clatter as Tsuki bumped into the other stuff on the floor.

"Shh!" Tsuki turned behind him and shushed Psyche.

"Shh!" Psyche turned behind him and shushed Hibiya.

"Shh!..." Hibiya turned to shush… the empty air. He frowned at that and hurried along with the other two.

Getting settled, Psyche spread the cover, while Tsuki set up the ladder. Hibiya lowered the paint cans and the brushes. They quietly whispered together as to how to fix the walls.

Tsuki frowned at all the burned etched marks and in the end, he decided to tear down the wallpapers and replace it. The wall behind it was scorched in some places but the burn wasn't deep, the foundation was alright. The tearing sound was loud in the room when Psyche yanked on it. Tsuki had to come over and explain they needed to be quieter.

As Psyche  _quietly_  ripped the wallpapers, Tsuki started to cover the wall with the new one while Hibiya measured and mixed the paint.

When one wall was half done, an hour had passed and the three had slowly eased into the room, forgetting about the owner sleeping soundly. They giggled a bit when the paint splashed onto Hibiya's nose who rubbed it indignantly. Then Hibiya purposefully splattered more blue paint on Psych'e face, and the war was on!

As Tsuki got in the middle, trying to make peace with the two, a shadow covered the three.

A large shadow of a tall human.

They all froze and slowly turned to face Hachimenroppi. Already the two raven haired boys were trembling in fear.

And Tsuki stared up at the man he loved, with the most enraged crimson eyes he had ever seen.

"Ah, Roppi-san, I'm sorry to have waken you up-" Tsuki said but the other two immediately interrupted him by crying in unison, "his fault!" and pointed at Tsuki. Then the two started rambling about what happened, the two stories not matching at all as they blamed everything on the other.

Roppi calmly watched the farce but the dread only grew deeper inside the trio's heart at the silence.

"Look, Roppi-san, I'm sorry I didn't ask your permission first, but you were sleeping… and I didn't want you to have more nightmares so…"

Roppi starred at the wall now with a new wallpaper half painted in blue. He walked over it and carefully placed a finger on the wet paint.

"R-Roppi-san?" Tsuki inquired.

Immediately like a storm, Roppi grabbed the wet wallpaper and ripped it off his wall.

"R-Roppi-san, wait! It's not dry yet!" Tsuki ran over to stop him but the older man pushed him away, making the blond fall on the floor harshly.

"Roppi-san!"

Hachimenroppi didn't seem to hear him as madly clawed at the wall, ripping the wallpapers with his bare fingers, bleeding and bleeding as his hands scraped the rough edge.

"Roppi-san!"

Then Roppi grabbed the ladder and threw it at the trio. Hibiya and Psyche were already screaming as they scrambled away. Their oldest brother had gone mad and they knew not to bother him when he was like this. However, it was Tsuki's first time as he watched Roppi rage. The older man tossed the cans of paint out his room, screaming, "out! Get out! All of you, out!"

They all scrambled out as the ladder, the cover sheets, the cans, the brushes were thrown out of the room. Then Roppi slammed the door shut and locked it, the click loud as the trio stood quietly, the mess of paint all over them as well as the floor outside.

The blue paint oozed out of the over turned can and spread across the floor like blood pouring out of a dying man.

 


	11. Chapter 11

It took awhile for Tsuki to clean up the paint and the mess. Hibiya and Psyche showed him where the tools were for cleaning and he scrubbed and scrubbed until there were no remnants of the spill. The two brothers had gone back to their rooms as the night came but Tsuki remained kneeling in front of Roppi's door in seiza position. He sat until his legs hurt. But he didn't have the heart to get up. He could hear Roppi sobbing through the door while he was cleaning. And even though hours had passed, he could still hear him sobbing quietly.

Several hours passed. The sobbing stopped but Tsuki could still feel Roppi's presence through the door.

"Roppi-san?" he spoke. There was no sound in the seemingly lifeless house, save for the sound of falling stars outside. The light shined through the living room window, the steady rain of silver stars streaming through.

"Roppi-san…"

Tsuki didn't even know where to start to ask for forgiveness. Or if he should even ask for forgiveness. He did not understand why Roppi was so … attached to this damaged room and the scars. Didn't he want to be healed? Wasn't it better to move on?

"You… don't have to forgive me… but I apologize that I did something you did not want… without your permission." Now the scar in the room was even larger, half painted and half ripped. It must look very ugly to Roppi… Tsuki bit his lower lips.

"I'm sorry." He managed to say.

Roppi on the other side did hear Tsuki. He heard his words and his apology. But he continued to stroke the burned mark on his wall. His fingertips felt raw, each touch felt like a knife to his skin. But he continued to touch the burned wall, his empty eyes boring into the black spot as he remembered his past and his…. attachment.

Unknowingly, Tsuki asked again, "Roppi-san… may I come in?" he grew worried at the silence. If Roppi was crying, at least Tsuki knew he was alive. But the silence…. and yet the feeling of his presence behind the door, made him worry. He couldn't have… committed suicide right? The way Psyche and Hibiya made sure that Roppi was not near knives and such made Tsuki wonder just a bit.

Growing anxious, Tsuki asked again, "Roppi-san. You haven't eaten anything all day. Shall I make something for you to eat?"

Again the silent treatment. Tsuki wondered if Roppi had fallen asleep… but deep inside, he knew that wasn't the case.

Should he… dare? To go against Roppi's wishes again for the sake of his health? Especially when he was seeking his forgiveness, was this wise?

Then suddenly he remembered Toki, the gatekeeper. How she had allowed him to pass. And the thousand birds who had helped him too.

'I can't let Roppi die like this.' Tsuki thought. 'What's the point of seeking forgiveness after he had dies? What's the point of trying to confess if I can't even protect him?'

Strangely feeling a surge of courage, Tsuki got up. He felt his legs tingle as the blood rushed through them like being prickled by a hundred thousand needles. Gritting his teeth, he told himself, this pain was nothing. He knocked on the door. "Roppi-san, please excuse me." and he pushed the door open.

Inside he found Roppi sitting next to the door. He was stroking the wall again and again, staring blankly. It looked… wrong. And creepy. A shiver went through Tsuki's spine as he knew right away, something wasn't right.

He sat down next to Roppi and hugged him.

"Everything will be alright, Roppi-san." Tsuki spoke softly, smiling at the man who looked as if his heart was so shattered, nothing could mend him back. "Everything will be alright. I'm so sorry Roppi-san. Please forgive me. Please… come back."

* * *

_"Everything will be alright, Roppi-san." He says._

_I stare at him in disbelief. No, everything will not be alright._

_I tug at the bonds, but they are tight. He has made sure that this time the tape and ropes are stronger. I am securely tied to the bedpost. The bed doesn't budge at all no matter how much I struggle._

_"Mmmhmm!" I look at him desperately. But he smiles back at me gently._

_"Don't worry. It'll be over soon. Soon, I'll be just like you. Shining bright like a star."_

_I shake my head. This isn't what I wanted. This isn't what I…!_

_I'm scared. The bruises on my ribs from his punches a few days ago haven't healed yet. The marks he left on my inner thighs are still red. And my neck and chest are still covered with his angry bites._

_I watch in horror as he locks the room. Then he starts pouring gasoline on the floor, splashing it on the walls and the ceiling._

_The room reeks._

_The smell makes me want to puke but the tape on my mouth prevents me from even screaming._

* * *

"Roppi-san? Roppi-san, can you hear me? Roppi-san?" Tsuki tried shaking Roppi's shoulders. But the raven looked as if he was in a trance. He was trembling and muttering something. Tsuki tried to listen. Roppi looked as if… his body was a shell and his mind had gone somewhere else. Trapped inside him.

* * *

_"You main branch people think you're such hot shots. I resent it. Just because you were born into aristocracy, you guys are always above us. Special privilege this, special privilege that. Always in the spotlight."_

_He throws the can of gasoline against the wall angrily; I cringe at the loud sound it makes as the empty jug dents inward before clattering to the floor._

_"Ah but don't worry Roppi-san. I love you. I love you very much. I love you so much. Even if I'm not one of the brightest stars, you love me back. You said you love me back."_

_I breathe harshly, panting through my nose in shallow puffs of air. My heart beats wildly against my chest. It hurts._

_It hurts._

_The hatred that runs so deeply inside his soul…. hurts._

* * *

"Roppi-san? Please snap out of it!" Tsuki shouted a bit louder, getting scared as Roppi leaned on him limply. He was breathing. His eyes blinked as tears gathered around his eyes. But he wasn't there. He was somewhere else. Somewhere far away.

* * *

_"But don't worry Roppi-san. I'll be joining you. Today, I'll burn bright just like how a true star should burn."_

_He pours the last can of gasoline on himself, dumping it on his head._

_My heart wants to burst out of my chest._

_My hair stands on end as my mind screams to be released._

_No, please!_

_Don't do this!_

_"I love you Roppi-san. And you said you love me too… so, will you please burn with me? Let's show those main house bastards how bright our love can burn."_

_With a smile filled with insanity, he strikes the match._

* * *

"Roppi-san! Please talk to me! Please! Look at me!" Tsuki wrapped both of his hands around Roppi's cheeks and held him close. Tears were streaming down the raven's face as Roppi started to cry uncontrollably for no reason. It was as if to Tsuki, Roppi was trapped in a nightmare he couldn't get out of.

* * *

_As soon as the match drops, everything burns._

_The light consumes the room,_

_instantly burning the walls, the ceilings, the furniture…_

_And him._

_He screams._

_And he screams._

_The sound of his scream never leaves my mind as he dances in the fire like a devil who just signed a contract with a human for a soul._

_I hear his laughter between the screams. His laughter filled with hatred and vengeance._

_I close my eyes and cry, unable to tune out his screams._

_It's too bright for me._

_He's too bright for me._

_The image and his screams burn into my mind forever._

* * *

"Roppi-san!"

Roppi stared up at Tsuki, finally his eyes focused. Tsuki sighed in relief and hugged him. He was yelling for awhile now. Enough that Psyche and Hibiya had came by and pretended not to see them as they walked back to their room. Tsuki was shocked by the apathy, it was as if the two brothers only cared to make sure that Roppi's body was alright and had given up on his mind.

"It's alright Roppi-san. I'm here. I'm here with you." Tsuki felt relieved as he was able to say words that could reach this man. He couldn't blame Hibiya or Psyche though. He had a feeling they too had tried everything until they were too exhausted to try anymore. But Tsuki was here now. And he wanted to stay with Roppi as long as he could.

"I didn't want him to die..." Roppi finally spoke, sobbing into Tsuki's chest. "I... I didn't want him to die..."

Tsuki didn't understand, but he just nodded. "I know. It's alright. It's alright now." _  
_

 


	12. Chapter 12

Tsuki held the older man in his arms and rocked back and forth, saying sweet nothings into his ears, trying to calm the man down. Roppi cried hard, pouring his heart out until there were no more tears to shed.

Hours passed. Roppi finally stopped crying and hiccuping as Tsuki brushed the strands of dark hair on the back of his head. The caress was meant to be soothing. Tsuki didn't look down as Roppi buried his face under his chin...

'I wonder if he's embarrassed...'

If Tsuki was the older male and just cried his heart out to a younger man... yeah he would most likely be embarrassed.

'There's nothing to be ashamed of...' Tsuki wanted to say. He had so many questions he wanted to ask too, but decided to keep his mouth shut. Leaning against the door inside Roppi's room which he had closed earlier on right after Roppi's attack so that they wouldn't be bothered, Tsuki waited.

Finally Roppi spoke.

Tsuki blinked, being caught off guard. "Sorry, can you repeat that? I... wasn't paying attention." Tsuki apologized. Though in truth, part of it was because Roppi spoke with a small ragged voice.

The pale man spoke softly as he lay his head to rest on the blond's chest.

"I had... someone I loved. A long time ago," he said as he began his tale. "At first I didn't love him. But he loved me fiercely and I couldn't refuse. He taught me that I was arrogant, that because I was so good at everything, I became a coward who didn't want to truly show how weak I can be. It... opened my eyes when he called me out on my insecurities. He knew that I worked hard to be a perfectionist because I felt that it was all I had."

'… the stalker.' Tsuki thought. The lover who had turned into a stalker... but from the way Roppi explained, it didn't look like it was as bad as Delic had explained it to him.

"I grew to listen to his criticisms. I started to let go when things were imperfect. I believe... I was happy with him. He loved me despite my faults. I had thought that before, no one would love me if they truly knew who I was. But with him, it was different. I felt... free. That he truly loved me for who I am."

Roppi let out a defeated sigh. "But that was where I was wrong. You see, he was the sort of guy who criticized everything. It wasn't that he was seeing the true me, but was finding criticism in everything and everyone around him. He started to criticize the main family, how it was unfair that they had so much power over the branch family. He viewed that the main family kept to themselves more even at the festivals, that there was bias and discrimination.

"And I agreed with him at the time. When in truth, it's to be expected. The families meet only during the festivals. Most people are too shy to mingle with people they only meet once a year. But at the time, I believed he was right, that the main family was discriminating. And I sided with him."

"I thought... that our love would be... would be... like an example to others... like a bridge between the main family and the branch..."

Roppi let out a shuddering sigh, as if it pained him to finally say them.

"You don't have to tell me... Roppi-san." Tsuki said, holding those trembling shoulders.

"No. I need to tell you." Roppi looked up. His eyes seemed very sad. "Because I want you to know, what I'm like.

"I... am not perfect. I've made some terrible mistakes, mistakes that I can't go back and fix. Mistakes that I can't forgive myself to ever forget. Mistakes that I can't erase."

Roppi turned his head to stare at the burned wall and the blue painting that Tsuki had tried to cover up with. Somehow... Tsuki understood where Roppi was getting at, and why he was so angry.

"Roppi-san I..."

"Let me finish." Roppi cut him off. The blonde closed his mouth when Roppi's penetrating crimson eyes stared at him intensely. He sat up in Tsuki's lap, straddling him as he straightened his back.

"The relationship... wasn't healthy. I realized it too late, but there was no turning back. I felt like I had to be the perfect example. Once again I was falling back to how I was, stubbornly holding on to a mistake thinking I could fix it. I could still make it work instead of letting it go. I told myself that there was no turning back. Now that we had... made it clear that we would be the prime example of how the main family and the branch families should work together, we couldn't break apart. We... just couldn't."

"How... did it end?" Tsuki asked, staring up at those sad dark ruby eyes.

"He... was angry with me. He accused me that.. I didn't love him back anymore. Rather, he was going crazy and blamed that... I was still in the relationship only to set an example. I told him that he was wrong and that I did love him. But he was draining. I was more exhausted when I was with him instead of feeling loved. I felt suffocated."

'It sounds pretty suffocating...' Tsuki agreed silently. But he didn't voice it. What can he say? What can he add? It was hard for him to think of anything  _right_  to say in this situation.

"He started... abusing me. Physically that is... he was already abusing me psychologically but... he started to..." Roppi's voice drifted away as his eyes grew distant. Tsuki's own eyes widened as he quickly tried to bring back Roppi, scared that the man would lapse back into his trance.

"B-but I thought he was your stalker? I heard that you two broke up and the main house..."

Roppi snapped out of his trance as he looked back down at Tsuki with eyes filled with regret. "... that was a lie, Tsuki. The main family had to keep it a secret about the truth in case the branch family revolted."

"A lie? But why would they... lie?"

"Because he died. In this very room."

Tsuki felt a shiver run down his spine. As if the large legs of the spider just slid down his back. He looked up at the black looming mark on the ceiling and the long scorched scar that looked like legs.

"He burned himself. In front of me. So that... I'll remember him. He wanted to haunt me in all my waking moments as well as my dreams. So that we'll be together. Forever."

Tsuki stared bewildered, trying to think what he could say, what he could do, to comfort him. But try as he might, he drew blank. There was nothing he could do or say that would make it better. He knew that there was nothing he could do to erase the scars on Roppi's heart. There was nothing he could say that would erase the past.

"Roppi… san…" Tsuki gathered the broken man into his arms and hugged him tightly. Tsuki had never felt so helpless in his life. The depth of despair in his heart was deeper than anything he had ever felt but he also knew that it was nothing compared to the pain Roppi had harbored for so long.

"Let's… first get you to bed." Tsuki decided, picking up the man. He felt light. He always felt light. 'He needs to eat more…' Tsuki thought. He wanted to make something delicious for Roppi. He wanted Roppi to rest without any haunting nightmares. He wanted more than anything for Roppi to smile freely without a hint of shadow that marred his features.

The blond carefully laid the man on his bed and pulled the covers. "Should I… stay with you?" Tsuki asked, caressing Roppi's hands. They were icy cold.

Roppi looked up at him at first with what seemed like hopeful eyes but then they darkened.

"No, best not stay with me… in this room."

"What, because the ghost is here? I'm not afraid." Tsuki normally was scared to death of ghosts. But somehow, Roppi gave him the courage to say those words without a hint of fear. "Let me rephrase the question.  _May I_  stay with you… Roppi-san?" The blond looked down with serious eyes too mature for his age. "I want to… stay."

Roppi wavered, hesitating. Then he nodded slowly in agreement. Tsuki went back to close the door. When he came back, he first sat on the bed… then decided to get under the sheets, surprising Roppi as he gathered the man once more into his arms and hugged him.

The older man suddenly felt shy, his heart pounding in his chest too loudly in his ears. He was afraid Tsuki could hear how loud his heart was throbbing right now. "Tsuki…. we shouldn't…"

"Why?" Tsuki said. "I'm just holding you so you can sleep, Roppi-san."

'But… he died here.' Roppi thought. 'He touched me here… tortured me here… forced me to…. open up for him.' He couldn't help but shudder. It was almost as if he could feel his presence here even when he was dead. The long black stretched marks on the walls and ceiling looming above him, its claw-like limbs slowly choking him.

"Tsuki… I… really think… you shouldn't…" Roppi stammered. What was he so afraid of? A dead man's ghost?

"Roppi-san. I love you."

Those simple words froze Roppi's wildly beating heart for a millimeter of a second.

"Tsuki?" Roppi looked up, wondering if he had heard him right.

"I love you, very much Roppi-san." Tsuki turned over, straddling Roppi as he loomed above him. "You said… to come confess to you when I'm taller. Well… I am. So… I want you to know that… I love you."

Roppi looked up at Tsuki with very confused eyes so the blond continued. "I just want you to know, I… I'm not losing to some ghost who died a long time ago." His words sounded braver than how he felt. Inside, Tsuki's heart was racing like a mad horse on the run.

Roppi smiled sadly. "Tsukishima-kun… exactly what do you love about me? You barely know me."

Tsuki nodded, his blond bangs slightly covering his eyes. "Yes… I know. I barely know you. But the moment I met you, I felt… something. I know that whole love at first sight sort of thing is quite unbelievable but… it's true." Tsuki looked back up now, looking into Roppi's eyes deeply. "The more I know about you, the more I… _fall_ for you."

"I love how you have respect for yourself Roppi-san and respect for others. I love how you take responsibility seriously and despite how terrible in shape you are, you try to finish your duties." Tsuki started listing. But Roppi laughed, his laughter hollow. "All I'm good for are duties, Tsukishima-kun. I don't have anything else left—"

Tsuki's hand fell on Roppi's cheek and caressed him. "Let me finish, Roppi-san. There's more." It silenced the raven haired man as he looked up into Tsuki's passionately crimson eyes.

"I love how you care about your family, Roppi-san. And I love how you even care for people who abuse you or hate you. I love that you don't give things up easily. And I love the way you love… always trying hard to make things right."

"Tsuki…" Roppi whispered his name, feeling bitter as he felt that everything Tsuki said he could retaliate with something negative… but still Tsuki wasn't 100% wrong. There was truth to it and that made Roppi's cheeks burn with embarrassment. He hadn't heard someone say how much they loved him for so many years… he felt like a child. He felt his heart slowly melting under each 'I love you.'

Then something hit Roppi. "Tsuki? You said…. It was love at first sight, right?"

Tsuki's cheeks flushed as he slowly nodded. Roppi thought that was interesting… how this boy had no problem directly saying 'I love you' but was shy when it came to other matters.

"Then… normally… wouldn't you be… in love with my looks?" Roppi had realized, Tsuki was avoiding saying any compliments to his physics.

Tsuki's face was flaming red as he pulled up slightly, "I… I… I….." he stammered, not quite knowing what to say.

Roppi tilted his head, observing the suddenly flustered boy. "Am I wrong? Or I'm ugly?"

"No-no! Roppi-san's too beautiful!" Tsuki shouted a bit too loudly before he realized what he said and clamped his mouth with his two hands, his ears burning shamefully now. Roppi regarded the boy straddling his hips thoughtfully.

"Are you a virgin?"

At the direct questions, Tsuki looked up with wide eyes like a doe caught with bright lights shining directly into her eyes.

"Heh… so you've never kissed?" Roppi smiled, only a corner of his lips turning. "Does it bother you to talk about… my body?" Then the teasing smile disappeared. "Or… is my body too dirty?"

"N-no, no, no-no-nonono! No! Roppi-san is never dirty!" Tsuki waved the two hands in front of him like a child too embarrassed to face pornography for the first time. "R-Roppi-san's too beautiful! I… I can't even… I didn't even… _think_  of…. k-k-kissing… you…" Tsuki was so flustered, he didn't even know what he was saying. 'Oh gawd what am I saying…' Tsuki wanted to go crawl into a hole and die.

"You really… never thought of kissing me?" Roppi couldn't help but ask. This child was too… innocent. Almost too pure… "What did you think lovers did when they were together? Did you really expect to tell me you love me… and do nothing about it?"

Tsuki looked too drained from hyperventilating as he tried his best to explain himself. "No-no, t-that's not it! I… I just… I just wanted you to know… I love you. You don't have to love me back or do anything! I just wanted… I just wanted you to know and…"

"And? And what if… I said I loved you back. What then?" Roppi sat up to look at Tsuki. Tsuki swallowed hard, his eyes looking everywhere but at Roppi.

"I… I didn't even think that far! I… never thought… you… I mean, you don't right? I'm just… kinda dumb, stupid, clumsy… no good for anything…"

"Tsuki… look at me when you're talking. Unless you think I'm too dirty."

"Y-you aren't!" Tsuki quickly went back to looking at Roppi. It was embarrassing to face him… but he didn't want Roppi to ever think he was too 'dirty.'

"Good. Now then." Roppi grabbed Tsuki's wrist and placed the blond's hand on his own chest. Tsuki could feel Roppi's heart pounding beneath his touch.

"I can't… say I love you back, not yet." Roppi hesitated. He wasn't like Tsuki who could boldly confess so easily. "But… I want to try." Then Roppi left Tsuki's hand on his chest, the blond too scared and stiff to pull away… as the raven moved to start unbuttoning his own black shirt. Tsuki's eyes widened even more and his heart beat even more wildly as Roppi pulled off the shirt, sliding it above his head with Tsuki's arm still stiff and frozen in place. Now Tsuki's hand was touching Roppi's bare chest. Tsuki could hear Roppi's heart loud and clear, beating just as fast as his even though Roppi's expression was calm.

'Roppi-san… said… he wants to love me back…' Tsuki's brain didn't know what to do with that information. He hadn't even dared to think, nor imagine… that Roppi could love him back. He had just wanted Roppi to know that he loved him. He was planning to be satisfied with that.

But here he was, in Roppi's bed… with Roppi taking off his shirt…. And now his fingers were…

… unbuckling his pants!

Tsuki shouted some animalistic noise as his nose burst with blood. He practically fainted dead away from seeing the sight of Roppi's boxers… which was red with black rims.

"Tsuki? Tsuki?" Roppi stopped as he quickly leaned over to the nosebleeding blond. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes…. I… I'm so sorry, Roppi-san…" Tsuki's head was spinning wildly with the image of Roppi taking off his clothes, more blood spurting out of his nose from the sight.

Roppi laughed half in disbelief. "Here, tissue." Roppi handed him some from on top of his bedside table which Tsuki took gratefully as he stuffed up his shame.

"I must admit, I have never had someone bleed on me while I stripped." Roppi sighed though there was a small smile mixed with it.

"I… I'm so sorry Roppi-san…." Tsuki looked very ashamed so the raven decided not to push him any further. However… he still wasn't planning to let the boy go that easily.

"Tsuki… you really do love me, don't you?"

"I… I do!" Tsuki looked up with a bit too-eager eyes.

"Then… don't look away." Roppi fingered his button on his pants before he unbuttoned it slowly.

Tsuki's eyes were again rotating and wavering but he quickly focused. "I… I won't!"

"Then… help me take this off." Roppi reached out to grab Tsuki's hands and placed them on his hips, his fingers playing with the hem of his pants.

Tsuki gulped. His fingers trembling, he unzipped the pants and pulled gently as if he was opening a delicate present.


	13. Chapter 13

Roppi leaned forward just a bit. He lifted up his hip as the pants slipped down to his knees before he pushed them off slowly. His legs… were so pale. And thin…. and very feminine. Tsuki couldn’t help staring at them until he realized what he was doing, so he tried turning away. But he remembered Roppi’s words and quickly went back to… staring at his legs. Tsuki hung his head, his cheeks flaming red. It was a lose-lose or win-win situation depending on how one saw it.

Before Tsuki could even comment or figure out an appropriate action, Roppi was already taking the lead. He took Tsuki’s other hand by the wrist and brought it to his crotch. The blond jolted in surprise as he felt the soft testes through the boxers. They rolled easily in his palm, malleable. It was a strange feeling to touch someone else’s sensitive private parts. His jaw dropped as Roppi smiled shyly and pressed the hand harder, his own hand closing around Tsuki’s so that the younger man could feel his cock stir and grow. Tsuki’s brain crackled somewhere inside his skull from the sheer idea that _he_ was somehow… arousing Roppi. _Roppi._ The _man_ Tsuki was in love with for years and never thought he’d ever be this… intimate with. And here was Hachimenroppi, panting, moaning in front of him as he guided Tsuki’s hand, wanting the blond to touch him.

“Nnnngh….” Roppi closed his eyes and let out a soft pleased moan. Tsuki stared at the scene, watching the love of his life slowly becoming aroused in front of him as his hand could feel the cock move under the thin fabric. It was growing harder, bigger, slowly. Tsuki’s own cock ached as he watched and his hand felt the stirring of Roppi’s erection.

“Ahh… Tsuki…” Roppi murmured as he rotated his hips, movements hypnotic. Tsuki’s mouth couldn’t shut itself and he stared, Roppi climbing into his lap and moving, rolling, as Tsuki’s hand felt it all.

Then the raven took Tsuki’s hand by the wrist, lifting the stiffened hand and lowering it inside his boxers.

Tsuki made a small shocked noise as his fingers felt the coarse fluff of hair and hot soft skin. Balls that fit perfectly into his palm and the hard shaft with a long throbbing vein.

“T-Tsuki…” Roppi moaned, resting his head on the blond’s shoulder and moaning, guiding him slowly. Tsuki was so new at this… and Roppi, he also needed this. The fact that this time around, Roppi had perfect control over the situation, and that Tsuki was more than willing to please him… it was… _different._

When Roppi looked down, he smiled at the large tent inside Tsuki’s pants as the blond mindlessly felt his testes, curiously rolling them while his brain was trying to process his thoughts, _‘I’m touching Roppi-san… Oh my god I’m touching Roppi-san… I’m really touching Roppi-san…asklfjalskfjaslfkj’_ over and over in his head.

“That must hurt…” Roppi smiled a little as he started to unzip Tsuki’s pants. The sound of the metal zipper clicking down made Tsuki yelp in surprise.

“Did I hurt you?” Roppi quickly paused and looked up. He had made sure that the zipper was away from Tsuki’s erection but…

“I… no… I… no… erm… no not hurt….” Tsuki stammered, his brain clearly not functioning.

“Shall I stop?” Roppi frowned. He wanted this but… if Tsuki didn’t want it…

“No, don’t stop!” Tsuki blurted out without really thinking. Then he quickly clamped his hand over his mouth. His other hand remained in Roppi’s, practically frozen stiff from the overload of lust fueling his body.

Roppi chuckled at Tsuki’s innocence and yet such willingness. It was refreshing, to say the least. Roppi pulled down the zipper to reveal the tented baby blue boxers. The raven took a moment to stare because…  
 _  
He was huge!_

“Huh, you sure grow fast. In more than one place,” Roppi teased. Tsuki flushed red, holding his stuffed up nose before the blood shot straight up and bled all over them.

After cleaning up the third or fourth nosebleed (Tsuki somehow had several in-between), Roppi found himself having to admit that the blond looked cute, yet silly, with his nose stuffed with tissues. The image also helped to lessen any tension they both had begun to feel earlier. Though Roppi had worried about possible post-traumatic stress kicking in, he realized he didn’t have to worry at all, not with Tsuki acting the total opposite of his old lover. In some ways, his goofy yet earnest honesty was already working at healing the raven’s old wounds. The scar could never fully disappear, of course, but with time, Roppi believed it could at least be a memory he’d be able to look back on without so much pain. With Tsuki by his side, Roppi believed that perhaps the pain could actually become his strength.

While Roppi wiped the crimson blood from Tsuki’s lower lip, he couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure you want to continue?” Because every time they even tried to make the next move, Tsuki’s nose would burst with over-excitement.

“Of course!” Tsuki assured him determinedly, nose burning with every hot breath exhaled.

“Alright, let’s take it slowly.” Roppi nodded in reply, a small smile upon his lips. Tsuki was cute. Adorable even. And Roppi wondered if he even deserved this small slice of happiness; a part of him was terrified that it would all be taken away from him.

After all, there was that ‘unsaid rule’ that no one dared to speak of; the rule that could shatter everything.

But for now, Roppi pushed this thought away, wanting to enjoy this small piece of bliss before he had to let it go.

Roppi leaned forward, his lips close to Tsuki’s after he wiped away the blood. While their lips were milimeters away, the raven whispered, “Have you ever kissed anyone, Tsukishima-kun?”

“I…. no….” Tsuki admitted, softly murmuring back.

“Are you okay with…” Again Roppi asked for confirmation, which Tsuki understood came from the older male’s insecurity.

And his immediate reply was to confidently reassure the raven by taking the initiative this time… by kissing him first.

The young blond pushed himself forward, their lips melding… but despite the bold move, they bumped their noses together harshly.

“I’m sorry! Roppi-san, are you okay?!” Tsuki quickly pulled back and apologized, feeling like an idiot who didn’t know how to kiss properly. And considering how it was only his first, Tsuki didn’t know that he had to turn his head for the kiss to work.

“I’m fine…” Roppi rubbed his nose. The whole situation was so hilarious that it soon made the serious male burst out laughing.

“R-Roppi… san?” Tsuki didn’t understand what was so funny, since he had just made the dumbest mistake he could have made at that moment. Wouldn’t normally people find it annoying to bump noses during a kiss?

“No, it’s just… heh…I don’t even remember the last time I laughed…” Roppi hung his head in shame, a sad smile dancing across lips that barely ever turned upwards. It was true. He didn’t remember if he had laughed or even smiled when he was with his lover back then. Everything was so serious, never so silly like this.

Tsuki’s heart pounded hard in his chest as he listened to Roppi’s laugh and witnessed the gentle smile. If somehow bumping their noses together during his first kiss could revive the older male’s smile, then Tsuki was more than willing to do it as many times as necessary. Anything to see the dark haired male's beaming expression. It was like a hidden treasure that only Tsuki had found.

“R-Roppi-san….” Tsuki whispered as his lips closed the distance between them again, this time slower than he had before. For once, he wished he had his older brother Tsugaru’s confidence or his second older brother Delic’s eloquence. Anything that could help him protect this man’s smile, to revive it every time it died upon his lips. For Roppi’s smile was far more beautiful than any other that the blond had ever seen, and it made the raven more radiant than before despite how beautiful he already was.

Yet Tsuki also realized right then that he was scared. Scared that if others saw how beautiful Roppi was, Tsuki himself wouldn’t have any chance. He was no good at anything. He was clumsy and slow. He wasn’t a leader like his brother Tsugaru, and he wasn’t good with people like his brother Delic. He was always feeling overshadowed by his brothers and his insecurities only worsened over time. He could not help but think that the amazing man who was this sick with depression and mental stress, yet still excelled in everything, could ever want anything to do with him.

“I… I love you Roppi-san. You’re beautiful. _Please…_ don’t leave me.” Tsuki whispered, his voice urgent as his lips kissed the male properly this time. He knew those words didn’t make any sense, the transition from his confession to how beautiful Roppi was and then to Tsuki’s own insecurities was almost awkward. The blond also knew it made him look even weaker-- his low self-confidence capable of becoming annoying to anyone. Delic and Tsugaru were always telling him that he was annoying, being the older brothers they were, criticizing their little brother who excelled at nothing of importance save for getting lost on the road. But this was the only way Tsuki knew how to confess; the only way for him to somehow cling to Roppi even if he might be annoying. All Tsuki knew how to do was repeat how much he loved him, how much he believed Roppi was beautiful.

Those words were a shock to Roppi as he felt the soft lips lock his own. Roppi could not answer back, _‘But… those are my lines, Tsukishima-kun…’_ Roppi closed his eyes as he guided Tsuki’s tongue into his parted lips.  
 _  
‘I’m afraid, you’ll leave me first. I’m like the darkness. You... are too bright for me.’_

Roppi kissed back slowly and gently, guiding the young boy with his own experience. He could tell that even though to him this was just a soft kiss, Tsukishima was already at his limit and out of breath. Roppi shuddered softly at the young man’s energy and eagerness. He wanted him. He wanted Tsukishima. But his insecurities, that he wasn’t worthy to be in young man’s future, kept pounding in his head. However, more than anything, he understood that Tsukishima’s own insecurities must be eating him away. At this rate, they would never be together….

He pulled away to kiss and lick at Tsukishima’s lower lips instead now, whispering between his butterfly kisses, “Will you have me… Tsukishima-kun? I’m filthy and tainted…. but as long as you won’t leave my side… I would love to be with you. Forever.” Roppi met Tsuki’s gaze, giving the younger man a chance.

Tsukishima’s eyes brimmed with tears as he fiercely hugged Hachimenroppi.

“Yes… Roppi-san. Please…. let me be with you. Forever.”

* * *

 

They kissed all night.

They fondled each other, caressed each other, and licked each other’s wounds.

They shared giggles and laughters, shared stories and more embarrassing secrets.

Once Tsukishima was more confident (and stopped nose bleeding), Roppi shared with him even more secrets of the adult world. Starting with kisses… then lubes… how to make love… and how to make things feel good.

Tsukishima came prematurely several times… but that was alright. Despite Tsuki’s embarrassment, Roppi rather liked the innocent yet eager young man. Whenever Roppi grew worried he was tainting him, Tsuki would reassure him that no, it wasn’t tainting. He didn’t know how to phrase the words, but Tsuki knew it wasn’t corruption.

“I’m happy, Roppi-san.” Tsukishima’s fingers grew a bit bolder as he learned that Hachimenroppi had a sensitive spot right on the dip of his back. He caressed him there, making Roppi jolt and sigh. “I’m happy that I can make you happy. So please… don’t worry.”

They kissed as Roppi slid down onto Tsuki and started riding him. The fire burned, the stars shining brightly as the cosmos blessed their union. Tsuki couldn’t help but whisper how beautiful he was as the blond looked up at the wet raven with ruby eyes, such a passionate face, such kissable lips parted. Tsuki held onto his angel, kissing at his belly, whispering again and again of sweet nothings, how he would never leave him.

Once Tsuki grew confident, he lowered Roppi down onto the bed for another round. The older man was exhausted from several orgasms, but Tsukishima was still young. Roppi laughed and teased that he was too old for this, only to quickly reassure Tsuki that no, that was a joke, he didn’t have to look so sad and stricken, he wasn’t hurt.

They shuddered as they linked together once again, the bedsheet soaked with their sweat. Their sensitive bodies burned and the room was filled with the scent of musty sex and the chorus of their passionate moans. Roppi had never felt so good, not in ages, and he wished time would stop right there in that moment when everything felt so fulfilled and satisfying, high with blissful ecstasy.

Only when Tsukishima finally came deeply inside did he fell on top of his love. And Roppi stared up at that black spidery ceiling and prayed for forgiveness.

 _’I’m sorry… I promise I won’t forget you too.’_ Roppi closed his eyes and shivered, praying silently to the ghost. He tightly held onto the one man who had given him a second chance in life, wanting to protect him from the possible curse. _‘But please. Let me move on. Let _us_ move on. If you truly loved me once… please...’_

_‘Let me go.’_

The room remained silent as the dark ceilings gave no answer, watching the two as they both drifted away into sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

The next day was a clear sky; the stars had finally stopped falling. Tsukishima woke up to notice Roppi cuddling next to him, sleeping soundly. Tsuki remained still, smiling to note that Hachimenroppi was finally getting a peaceful sleep without nightmares.  He wanted to get up to make breakfast, but… Roppi-san looked so comfortable, Tsuki could not get up immediately.

 

Instead, he took his time to stare at the older male’s beautiful body. Did they really… _do it_ last night? It was unbelievable. Even as Hachimenroppi laid next to him nude, breathing softly and peacefully, it was still like a dream. Tsuki carefully caressed away the bangs so he could take a better look at the sleeping man, the face of a man that he had longed for for many years; almost all his life and more.

  
Slowly, so he did not wake him up, the blond sat up and slipped away from their cuddling position. He gathered his clothes in this dark and foreboding room.   
  
He knew he should leave. He had overstayed his welcome and the room was a reminder of that. Probably tomorrow — no, today, he would pack and say goodbye. He would at least make them breakfast and some lunch for later. He hoped that he had helped, but seeing the corner of the room that was partially painted blue before it stopped, Tsuki knew that he had caused more trouble than good while he’d stayed.

 

It hurt to admit, but yes. He wasn’t needed here, right? It would be best that he leave. He had delivered the message he wanted to tell Roppi for many years. He would be happy with that alone. He needed to return to his brothers who were probably expecting him…

 

Tsuki saw drops of water on the cutting board where he was dicing up the tofu for the miso soup for breakfast.

 

Water?

 

Ah…  Tsuki’s lips quivered as he bit his lower lip. He didn’t realize he had started crying as he remembered he needed to go back home.

 

He wiped his tears as he continued to cut the tofu in perfect squares. He had breakfast to make, he shouldn’t dawdle.  A useless kid like him should at least make breakfast properly, right?

  


* * *

 

  


“Roppi-san? Are you awake?” Tsuki knocked on the door. He had his apron on as Psyche and Hibiya were tugging at his clothes, whining, “When’s food? When are we eating? We’re hungrrry~~” “Let’s eat without him~~ He’s a late sleeper~~” As usual, Psyche and Hibiya were being brats.

 

When the door opened, Tsuki took a step back, stunned. Even the two kids next to him grew silent in awe.

 

Hahichmenroppi was wearing his red and black and gold-trimmed ceremonial robe. He gracefully lifted his head and tilted it questioningly as the boys gawked at him.   
  
“What are you all doing? We’re going to the main house today. So get dressed.”

 

Still stunned, the boys gathered around the table awkwardly and quietly eating their breakfast as Hachimenroppi sat down with the grace of a swan amongst ducklings. Tsuki fidgeted a bit as he nervously almost spilled his soup while passing the condiments. Psyche pretended not to notice as he wolfed down his food while Hibiya also took care to dismiss anything amiss as he ate with proper etiquette.   
  
“I’m done!!” Psyche announced as he pushed away his plate. Hibiya scoffed at the messy and noisy Psyche as he went back to eating delicately. Psyche had a mischievous glint in his eyes as he got up and slowly walked near Hibiya… clearly planning to do something naughty.

 

“Psyche.” Roppi’s stern voice broke the calmness in the air like knife. “Go get dressed.” He ordered with a voice that was not above a normal speaking volume but carried the weight of a thousand stars.

 

Psyche glanced up and pouted as he marched over to his room. “Yessss sir.”   
  
Tsuki got up to wipe Psyche’s mouth before he let him go.  By then, Hibiya also pushed away his plate. “Thank you for the food,” he bowed as he too went to his room to get dressed.

 

“So, erm...” Tsuki quietly sat back down at the table. It was just him and Roppi-san. He needed to tell him. “I was … thinking… I should go home today.” Tsuki wasn’t sure if this was the worst timing ever, but he needed to tell him and he knew that. He nervously waited for Roppi’s reply.

 

“I think you should go to the main house with me before you return home,” Roppi replied quietly as he placed down his chopsticks. Then he gave the younger blond a soft smile. “For various reasons, of course.”

 

“M-me too? Erm… well…” Tsuki looked bewildered. He didn’t have any ceremonial robes for one thing, and… w-why were they going to the main house now?

 

“Come. I have something you can get into.” Roppi got up and wrapped his arm around Tsuki’s, smiling up at him. “Thank you for the food, by the way.”

 

Surely this was a dream… right? Tsuki’s mind was spinning. It must be a dream…

 

* * *

 

  


They were all dressed nicely in ceremonial robes. Tsuki wore one of Roppi’s old ones, and though it was blue and white, he felt awkward in them. Once they’d brushed Hibiya’s hair and neatly smoothed out Psyche’s robe, they were off to the main house in Roppi’s carriage.   
  
The two kids remained quiet only for so long before they were looking out the window and pointing at the Milky Way stars. Roppi remained calm and poised without a word, once in a while telling his younger brothers to sit still. But the chatter helped Tsuki as they distracted him from thinking of the upcoming ‘doom’ he was feeling. Without knowing of the poor young blond’s anxiety, their driver continued down the path steadily.

 

The main house was a series of long traditional Japanese houses complete with wooden columns and a triangular tiled roof. As they entered the gates, the small fountain by the rock garden greeted them next to the tall willow trees and sakura trees as the buds had started to bloom. The pink petals softly rained like snow as the servant ushered them inside.   
  
Tsuki rarely had the chance to meet the heads of their house, Empress Lady Ruju and Emperor Diamond, as they were revered like gods. It was said in the legends that the headless fairy named Ruju had came down from heaven to take her yearly bath. And Diamond, upon falling in love with the headless fairy, stole her head and hid it. Realizing that her head was missing, Lady Ruju was devastated and agreed to stay with Diamond until she found it.   
  
Many years had passed, and Lady Ruju too had fallen in love with Diamond and forgave him when she found out it was he who had stolen her head.  Now they lived in harmony as the headmasters of the constellations when Lady Ruju brought Diamond from Earth to the Sky to rule the heavens besides her.

 

Tsuki was terrified to step out of the coach, but Roppi stepped out first and held out his hand for him after he had helped Psyche and Hibiya down. Hachimenroppi’s smile was so gentle — Tsuki gulped as he took his hand nervously and took a deep breath.   
  
The sun was too bright, Tsuki noted. Too bright and sunny for a day when he would jailed in a dark cellar somewhere for all of eternity, forgotten by all the stars if not mocked and japed for eons.   
  
Roppi told Psyche and Hibiya to go ahead and run to their usual house that was reserved for them each time they visited. The raven-haired man calmly took Tsuki’s hand into his own and walked towards the main house.

 

Last time he had walked in here was about... few years ago? Or was it during his coming-of-age ceremony? It was such a rare event to meet the head of the house face-to-face while he had always seen them from a distance at the yearly star festival.   
  
The seated servants, on the tatami wooden floor, bowed and announced Roppi and Tsuki’s presence to the Emperor and Empress. Then the servants slid the rice paper doors to allow the two stars of the night skies to come inside.

  
Roppi gracefully sat in a perfect seiza position, adorned with his beautiful red and black robe with gold embroidery in the design of a magnificent phoenix taking off. Tsuki was wearing a shimmering blue and white, rare colors that Roppi did not wear often, which had again a bird motif that was associated with Roppi’s house.   
  
“What brings you here with such short notice, Hachimenroppi?” Diamond asked as Lady Ruju sat next to him holding a pen and ink as she wrote in graceful calligraphy. He was wearing all white with gold elaborate embroidery of the sun, while Lady Ruju wore a beautiful matching black kimono with silver embroidery of stars and the moon. “It must be of urgency as you rarely come out of your house.”  
  
Roppi ignored the small teasing jab as he opened his mouth to begin.

 

But Tsuki beat him to it as he crumpled with his head to the floor, bowing in shame.   
  
“It’s… it’s totally my fault, so please don’t blame Roppi… I mean, Hachimenroppi-san! I’m the one to blame as I…!” Before Tsuki could make a list of everything he had done wrong, barging into Roppi’s house, soliciting and trespassing, vandalizing the precious wall that Roppi had held dear with blue paint without asking and even… d-doing things… with… Hachimenroppi…, but Roppi (whose eyes were wide with surprise) quickly covered Tsuki’s mouth.

 

“What’s the meaning of this?” Diamond’s grey eyes turned more serious instead of his usual teasing expression, and even Lady Ruju had paused from her writing, curious.   
  
“My Lord, perhaps it’s best that I explain.” Roppi intervened, trying to smooth out whatever it was Tsuki almost blurted out.  
  
“Explain yourself.”   
  
Roppi took a deep breath and he let go of covering Tsuki’s mouth to… hold his hand.

  
That earned an audible gasp from Diamond and Tsuki… and a visible gasp from Lady Ruju as her black shadow smoke puffed out of her beautiful neck.

  
“I would like to… revoke the unspoken rule.”   
  
Diamond blinked in surprise briefly before his eyes grew sly. Lady Ruju could not speak, but her shadows seemed flustered. All the while, Tsuki remained confused. ‘Unspoken rule?’ What was this about?

 

“Oh?” Diamond spoke for his high mistress as he shifted on his soft cushioned divan. “Go on.”

 

Roppi took another deep breath as he presented his well-prepared speech with determined eyes.

 

“As you know… my deceased beau and I… pushed hard to create equality among the constellations, the main family with the branch family, the nebulae and the dwarf stars alike… and even to extend to repair relationships between those who are yet to become stars…”

 

Roppi took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He ignored the irritating, mischievous grin that Diamond wore as if he had taken a guess as to what Roppi had planned to say.

 

“I understand that back then… when I, from the main branch, planned to marry the branch family member… we had wanted to bridge the gap between the families, but I see now that we were wrong. It only created further discrimination and prejudice. It has made the main family members… unable to voice who they truly love, in fear of everyone judging them if they did not love a branch family member.” Roppi spoke calmly though the hand holding Tsuki’s tightened. Realizing that the composed Hachimenroppi was actually very nervous, Tsuki lightly squeezed back in support.

 

“My Lord. I believe everyone should love freely. That’s what my beau would have wanted and that’s what we had originally wanted to create. A world where one shouldn’t look at their loved one’s social status and be judged by others. And if… a main family member happen to love a branch member, so be it. Back then, yes, that was heavily frowned upon and we wanted our relationship to be the founding stone. And now I believe that if…” Roppi glanced at Tsuki with just a graceful turn of his head and he smiled softly at him. “That if a main family member happened to love another main family member… they shouldn’t be judged for that either.”

 

“Well said, well said.” Diamond clapped his hands and unfolded his large paper fan with a snap, displaying the beautiful white swan bejeweled with studded diamonds. “I’m quite glad, actually. It’s been quite stuffy lately with all the branch family members always scolding the main family if they were to even chat just amongst themselves, calling them elitist.  I wholeheartedly agree that one should feel free to love whomever without being judged. But Hachimenroppi-kun~” Diamond winked. “It’ll be a tough road. There will still be adversaries against you. Even more, then, when you decided to…. be previously engaged. People will consider you going ‘backwards.’ Are you up for that?”

 

“I want people to understand that this isn’t about going backwards or forwards. But to love who they wish to love.” Roppi let out a soft sigh. “And besides, it isn’t as if I enjoy being a spectacle of all the taboo. It just happened.”

 

“Just happened that you always get mixed up in love that society at the time frowns upon?” Diamond laughed as he fanned himself. “No worries, I’m sure Lady Ruju doesn’t mind. I’m not even a star and here I am, a normal human being who came to the heavens thanks to my dearest sweetheart, isn’t that right?” Diamond lightly leaned on his shadowy queen whose headless form puffed a pink heart-shaped shadow. “I’m on your side, Hachimenroppi-kun. Though you have a long and rough journey ahead, you know. All the other stars won’t like it.” His eyes glistened sharply with perception.  

 

“That’s alright. I believe… I have a partner for that long journey this time.” Roppi turned to smile at Tsuki, but then his eyes widened when he noticed that the young blond’s eyes were about to turn on the water faucet.

 

“W-what’s wrong, Tsuki?” Roppi looked a bit taken back as Tsuki suddenly burst into tears in the presence of their emperor and empress.  Even Diamond and Lady Ruju looked bewildered as Tsuki bawled in front of them without shame.

 

“I’m just…!! I… I’m just…. happy that you didn’t give up on me!!!!” the young star sniffled as he stammered, “I thought…! I thought you hated me…!!!!” Tsuki bawled into his kimono sleeves, sniffling like a child. Roppi slid over and gave him a hug, patting his back as Tsuki cried in relief.

 

“You’re so silly… Why would I hate you?” Roppi gathered the crying young boy for a firm embrace. “I love you very much, Tsukishima-kun.”

 

And that only made Tsuki cry even harder as he stammered, “I…. I love you so much, Roppi-san!!! I just… I just thought…!! I wasn’t worthy and… and!!!” And as Tsuki bawled into Roppi’s shoulder, the Empress Lady Ruju and Emperor Diamond smiled happily at the couple.

  
  


* * *

 

  
  
  


It was a beautiful night sky when the wedding took place.  Hachimenroppi wore the crimson robe embroidered with a golden phoenix as was his family crest while Tsukishima wore the robe in blue like the sunny sky with a silver embroidered ram, his smile as gentle as a sheep’s.  Roppi was fixing the black feathers behind his ears while waiting inside the tatami floored room with all his attendants gushing over how handsome he looked and how calm he was on his special night. Roppi was patient enough to force a smile and endure it despite the fact that he just wished to be left alone.

  


Tsuki on the other hand was a mess in his room with his brothers making a fuss. Delic kept teasing him about all the embarrassing and dirty things he needed to do on their ‘first night,’ just to ruffle him up, and poor Tsuki could not tell him that they already went all the way. Tsugaru kept smacking Delic on the head with his bamboo fan and gave him some decent advice as he fixed the celestial robe of their youngest brother.

 

“Remember to love him with all your heart, Tsuki. I’m sure everything will be alright,” Tsugaru calmly told him as he patted his youngest brother.

 

“I can’t believe you’re getting married before ME!” Delic fiercely hugged the protesting Tsuki, who stammered, “But-but… Onii-san is always flirting around with so many…. mmmfff!!” Tsuki was cut off as Delic nervously laughed, covering his mouth with his hand.

 

“Anyways! It’s time!” The gong was heard and Delic smiled broadly as he smacked Tsuki’s back with a bit too much force, making the younger blond stumble. “Break a leg, bro! It’s your special night!”

 

Tsuki fixed his elaborate ram’s horn headdress of gold with trembling hands as he hurried to the door. Tsugaru quickly fixed any last minute touch ups and they were out, Tsugaru wearing his matching robe with gold and black tiger embroidery while Delic wore his blue with a brown threaded monkey and pink cheeks embroidered robe. They led the way as Tsuki nervously stepped forward out to the garden of stars.

 

There were seas and seas of stars that had gathered for the celebration. There were nebulae from the furthest corners of the galaxy all the way to the smallest dwarf planets who climbed on top of their suns for a better look. Thousands of paper cranes littered the sky with fireflies lighting the way. And the special guests were the magpie birds who had helped Tsukishima crossed the river Milky Way, who all came to cheer and made a bridge once more in celebration of their special day.

 

Tsuki carefully stepped on each bird, thanking them as he bowed. Then, when he almost reached the top, he looked up to see Hachimenroppi already at the center, waiting for him with a gentle smile that melted his heart.

 

So Altair climbed up the last few steps to the center to meet Vega and everyone in the universe cheered as they kissed.

 

“And they lived happily ever after. Eating sushi!” Simon finished, as he closed the badly drawn crayon picture book for little kids.

 

“Eeeeh? I’ve never heard of this version before,” Akane said as she dangled her legs on her high stool seat, leaning on the wooden bar of Russia Sushi restaurant.

 

“Because dis reel story! Sushi makes everyone happy! They eat sushi, sushi happy. Story ends.” Simon nodded solemnly with a big smile.

 

“I do not believe that is the correct version of the Japanese Tanabata folklore.” Varona slightly frowned. “According to the textbooks, the Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese folklore of the Star Festival, all originate from the Chinese tale of ‘The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd,’ in which your story is loosely based off of but it deviates drastically.” Ever the bookworm, Varona defended the original text rather then going along with Simon’s joke. It was just another day for the Debt Collector Trio and they had run into Akane Awakusu, who had just finished a self defense class. Tom, feeling generous, and wanting to avoid a possible conflict between Varona and Akane as he misunderstood their interest in Shizuo to be romantic in nature, decided he would take them all to Russia Sushi for lunch. Shizuo wasn’t listening much as he was busy eating his tamago sushi when Simon decided to take out an old Japanese picture book and decided to entertain the child, totally disregarding all the Japanese text as he couldn’t ‘read’ since he was Russian.

 

“No need to have one tale, Varona. That is how tales grow tails! Story after story, new story creates new sushi! More sushi means more happy clients! Eat, eat. We don’t have human sushi no matter how cheap!” Simon said as he placed an expensive order of unagi on the table to bill Tom for later. Tom sighed as he noticed that.

 

“Simon… I’m pretty sure you’re fluent in Japanese… you are, aren’t you?” Tom pointed out how Simon continued to make puns within puns, something that required not only intelligence and humor but also a complete understanding and control of the language and culture of Japan. Regardless, he winced and sighed in defeat as the bill was presented to him.

 

“I do not understand why one must continue to make new versions of old folklore, as folklore was changed back in the past when writing was rare,” Varona insisted, continuing to argue a pointless argument as she totally missed the point of Simon’s humor.  Meanwhile, Akane looked dizzy as she didn’t understand a thing, what Simon had told her and the complicated story about taboo or the meaning behind Varona’s argument about folklore.

 

“Varona. It is of-” Simon was smiling as he tried to lace yet another joke on top when the door opened and a certain informant entered inside.

 

“Oh? What’s this! New customer! Customer, please love sushi! Sushi is good! Good sushi is-” Simon turned to smile at his new customer with the same mannerism as any other. But already, the entire store was screaming as a certain man in a bartender suit had ripped out the wooden bar straight from the counter.

 

“IIIIIIIIIIIZAAAAAAAYAAAAAAA-KUUUUUUUUUUUUN YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought I told you to STAY OUT OF IKEBUKURO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

 

By then, Tom had grabbed Akane out of the store for safety as the tornado of chaos ensued inside with everyone screaming for cover, save for one man’s laughter that sounded very misplaced.

 

As Tom was running for a safe distance, Akane held onto a different man from her previous flight when she had tried to kill Shizuo. She looked over at the dread haired man and asked in a serious voice, “Is it true that at least they lived happily ever after?”

 

“Haa???” The debt collector looked back at the young little girl who was oblivious to the dangers concerning her safety while she had continued to focus solely on the story she was just told. “Err… yeah. They seem to always live happily ever after in any of the Orihime stories… except when it rains though. Apparently the birds can’t make a bridge when it rains,” Tom answered as he scratched his head.

 

“Then I’ll pray it doesn’t rain for the Star Festival!” Akane smiled as she clapped. “And I’ll invite Shizuo-onii-chan and we’ll go watch the fireworks together!”

 

“Haha… I’m sure you’d look beautiful in a summer kimono, Akane-chan,” Tom replied, smiling awkwardly as he thought to himself how scary it would be to try to enjoy the Star Festival with tons of Awakusu-kai’s exclusive bodyguards in black suits hanging around.

 

Regardless, Akane looked happy as she made plans to invite Shizuo to the Star Festival. Of course she’d invite also Uncle Akabayashi and the two senpai she had met at the dojo, Kururi and Mairu Orihara. The little yakuza princess was already happily dreaming the happy ending to her story while the bloodcurling cries of, “IIIIIIIIIIZAAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!” continued on for an hour in the distance.

  
  
\- the end ♥

  
  
  


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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: That concludes the fairytale of Vega and Altair. Thank you very much for reading thus far! And for those who are utterly shocked…. lol… I promise Simon told a ‘censored’ version of the story, not the whole thing, to Akane. No sex scenes to little kids!! It was also very loosely condensed ahahaha. I promise! No traumatizing the little yakuza princess!! Sorry if the ending wasn’t ‘Shizaya’ enough for you guys, but i thought Simon telling the fairytale to Akane would be a cute ending… and I tried to add the Shizaya part a bit at the end. Regardless I hope you all enjoyed the fanfic! I’m so glad this is over… so i can work on other fics ahaha. See you next time ♥


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